The medical office of today requires many different types of clerical equipment in order to function effectively and smoothly. The role of the medical assistant includes learning how to evaluate, purchase or lease, operate, and maintain this essential equipment.

Think how difficult it would be to communicate with others outside the office without the use of a communication system, which could include telephones, e-mail,beepers or pagers, answering machines, and fax machines. How limited would a medical practice become if the recording of the care given to a patient had to done without the use of a word processor, computer, or typewriter? What if all patient billing, bank deposits, and payroll management had to be done without the use of an adding machine or calculator? Without a shredder, each piece of confidential paper would have to be torn many times before discarding. Possibly the most difficult of all tasks would be the duplication of endless documents by hand because there is no copy machine!

In this chapter you will be learning about the use and maintenance of many important pieces of administrative medical office equipment. Additionally, you just might come away with a new appreciation of the importance they play in the function of the efficient medical practice.