Chiropractic Assistant

   Winter 2010 Program Outline

Start: Fall, Winter, Spring

Degrees and Certificates

• Certificate - SCC

Program Website:

www.scc.spokane.edu/?bustechchiroassist

Program Description

The Chiropractic Assistant Certificate program prepares students for positions in the chiropractic office field as receptionists and chiropractic billing clerks with the ability to communicate with and answer questions from chiropractic patients about their care and the chiropractic philosophy.

Admission Requirements: 

• Keyboarding skills: 40 wpm with six or fewer errors completed at the SCC testing center or enrollment in BT 101 or 102
• Current first aid/CPR card or successful completion of ISFTY 111 or equivalent
• Students with ASSET scores below 30 or COMPASS test scores below 43 must successfully complete BT 151 during the first quarter

A minimum passing grade of 2.0 in each course is required for the certificate.

Program Goals

1. Appropriately manage telephone communications and schedule office, surgical, and diagnostic procedures.
2. Receive patients and visitors.
3. Apply legal and ethical practices per HIPAA and AMA standards. 
4. Create and maintain patient records; sort and disperse incoming mail.
5. Submit, rebill and troubleshoot insurance claims for the medical office to include private, government, PPO, and HMO insurance.
6. Code using CPT and ICD-9-CM Coding system.
7. Perform typical medical office financial activities using applicable software.
8. Correlate their knowledge of general anatomy and medical terminology to perform coding and billing tasks.
9. Perform CPR and Basic First Aid procedures.
10. Perform computer applications.
11. Gain knowledge of the philosophy of chiropractic.
12. Demonstrate professionalism related to a medical office setting.

Career Opportunities

Because chiropractic treatment emphasizes the importance of healthy lifestyles and does not prescribe drugs or perform surgery, chiropractic care is appealing to many health-conscious Americans. The rapidly expanding older population, with its increased likelihood of mechanical and structural problems, also will increase demand for chiropractic care. Chiropractic assistants with a strong background in medical coding will be in particularly high demand. POTENTIAL POSITIONS: As the number of chiropractors increase, each office hires at least one front office chiropractic assistant (CA). Larger offices may hire a CA as a receptionist, a billing clerk, or a transcriber of chiropractic reports. The CA with good skills and a solid chiropractic terminology background should always be in demand.