Welcome to The Avidity Medical Design Blog

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Avidity Medical Design Consultants, LLC specializes in all areas of healthcare instructional design. We develop eLearning courses for students interested in transitioning to healthcare careers, continuing education and medical certification courses for current healthcare professionals. We also provide instructional design consulting services for K-12 and postsecondary institutions. Future blogs will address best practices in mobile technology, cloud computing in healthcare education, theories of healthcare instructional design, developments in healthcare education, and trends in allied health and medical technology.

More Tips: A 4-Step Guide to Professional Dress in the Medical Office

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While proper attire is important in any office, professional dress in the medical office is crucial. Maintaining a professional appearance is the key to patient comfort and trust. Below is a 4-step guide to help navigate the pitfalls of dressing for the medical office.

Professional Dress in the Medical OfficeFirst off, medical office personnel deal with patients at a very personal level. They have contact with the patient physically and they have general access to highly sensitive information such as health history and social security numbers. By presenting themselves professionally, office staff provide an environment that ensures patient confidence. Patients need to feel safe in the office and that their information is being handled respectfully and professionally.

  1. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. It is important to have a clean and well-maintained appearance. Cleanliness is paramount in a medical office. Unclean bodies and hair can be alarming for patients, but even simple things like ripped clothing, wrinkled clothing or improperly fitting clothing can project an environment that fails to take patient health and safety seriously. Meanwhile, meticulous dress and appearance help project the idea that cleanliness, orderliness and professionalism are important and therefore, so are patient health and safety.
  2. Accessories. Understated accessories including hair, nails, make-up and tattoos keep the focus on the patient and not on the staff. Drawing attention with large jewelry or visible tattoos can unintentionally project the idea that the patient is secondary. Also, extreme hair, excessive make-up and long nails can give patients the idea that their health and safety is not the primary focus in the office.
  3. Shoes. While many medical professionals spend hours on their feet, they should exercise care when selecting footwear. Especially for medical professionals in scrubs, shoes can stand out to patients so, it is important to make sure they are not only comfortable, but maintain a professional appearance. Dansko-style clogs are good examples of acceptable shoes, while snow boots, slipper-style shoes, Converse or other athletic shoes, Uggs, cowboy boots, and high heels are examples of shoes that should not be worn in a medical environment.
  4. Clothing. A medical professional should wear clothing that is classic, professional, and well-fitted. It should allow the employee to project confidence and professionalism, which will in turn provide patients with reassurance that their lives are in good hands. Clothing that is revealing, offensive (as in t-shirts with messages on them), or made of any material that either sheds (like sequins or glitter) or is not considered professional (like jeans, leather or spandex)should not be worn.

By dressing in a professional and timeless fashion, the employee allows for the focus to remain where it belongs, on the patient. Employees in the medical office should consistently review their attire to make sure it projects the idea, from the patient’s perspective, that the primary focus in the office is on the safety and comfort of its patients.

For more specific suggestions, you can follow this link, or you can contact us. Thanks.

Professional Communication and Its Importance in the Doctor’s Office

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It isn’t what you say, it’s how you say it.

This is one of the cardinal rules of professional communication, and it’s important to remember. Think of the message you’re trying to convey as a passenger in a car. Pulling out your everyday language would be like showing up to a company event in a beat-up clunker with mismatched paint. It will get your point to the destination, but it won’t be well-received showing up in that ride. If you use professional language free of jargon, slang, and other colorful expressions though then it’s like you’re delivering your point in a sleek, shiny sedan. It’s obvious in your expression that you know what you’re talking about, and you’re here to work.

Professional Communication in the Doctor’s Office

professional communication in a doctor's officeNowhere is proper communication more important than it is in the doctor’s office. Not only do you need to put on a professional face for patients and co-workers, but what you say could quite literally alter someone’s life. So rather than using jargon to explain a medical decision to a patient, or a slang term to relate a patient’s problem to a doctor, it’s best to use the correct terminology.

It’s also important to dot your I’s and cross your T’s.

It isn’t just your spoken words either. With so much of the medical field depending on patient files it’s important for you to beable to express yourself in text as well. Every report, every chart, could be the key to the next doctor providing the right care. That’s why it’s so important for you to make sure your writing is legible and sensical, otherwise it could lead to serious problems down the line when someone whom you don’t know tries to interpret the guide you left behind.

For more information on the importance of professional communication in the doctor’s office simply contact us today!

Professional Dress in the Medical Office: A quick guide

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A big part of any job is appropriate dress. While some companies will provide uniforms, many office jobs leave it to the employee’s discretion. Sometimes knowing what is appropriate is difficult, especially when you are trying to add some color or style to your daily wardrobe. Avidity Medical Design understands that success comes from both knowledge and appearance, and want to provide you with a clear list of things to avoid when selecting an outfit for the office. Even though they specialize in course creation for the medical field, they also offer advice on maintaining professionalism and other challenges in the workplace. Check out their blog for other great informative pieces!

professional dress in the medical officeYour clothes should fit you properly, match, and be clean.

Your outfit says a lot about you, especially when you are at work. If your clothes are don’t fit, have clashing colors, or obvious stains and smells, it lets people know work was probably not a priority for you. So when you’re evaluating clothes, avoid items that your are either hanging out of, swimming in, or are otherwise unflattering. Don’t forget that the sales staff are there to help you select items that fit and match appropriately. Take advantage of this if you are unsure! Likewise, the cleanliness of your clothing is just as important as your own personal hygiene, and even more so in a medical setting. Taking the extra step to clean and maintain your clothes sends a strong message to your employer and your clients.

Avoid clothes designed for working out or relaxing.

You’re work clothes need to be comfortable. Don’t be distracted by ill-fitting or otherwise uncomfortable clothing when youshould be focused on work. However, some items are just a bit too comfortable. Workout clothes are great for working out and everyone should have some comfy sweats for after work or the weekends. But when you dress like this at work, you’re sending a message similar to the previous point; that you don’t want to be there. If you could run a marathon or watch a marathon in what you’re wearing, don’t wear it to work.

Logos or other messages aside from work related

Try and avoid clothing that advertises for bands, beverages, designer companies, or have jokes and slogans written on them. It’s distracting, unprofessional, and sends a bad message to the customer. The exceptions are items that have company logos on them, or are related to office events, such as a company sponsored 5k run or picnic. Even then, such items should be reserved for a casual day, if applicable.

Keep your face friendly and approachable!

Your smiling face is your best attribute, letting patients and clients know that they are safe and welcome. While society’s views are changing on the issue of tattoos, piercings, and dyed/extreme hair and makeup, keep in mind that you’re representing your office and therefore have an image to upkeep. The rule is to cover up anything that might make a customer feel uncomfortable. Professional attire covers the majority of your body, giving you more than enough room for tattoos or piercings. When choosing a hairstyle, try to select one that can be tamed during the workday to look presentable. And makeup can be light and subtle in the office, to keep with the theme of a warm and welcoming office to the public. The best rule to keep in mind is to tone it down or cover it up!

Sheila McCray, the person behind Avidity Medical Design, wants to help turn good students into great professionals. She also works to design and create courses in instructional design for medicine and healthcare, medical course analysis and recommendations, and medical subject matter expertise. If you are interested in these services, contact Avidity Medical Design, and follow them on Twitter!

Not Just for Students: Clever Ways that Teachers Can Use Instagram in the Online Classroom

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In the previous article, we looked at the benefits of Instagram from the standpoint of students. This article looks at how teachers can use Instagram as a powerful teaching tool in the online classroom. The power of Instagram creates meaningful online interactions between students and teachers, keeping both parties engaged and informed.Instagram and the Online Classroom

For instructors, Instagram makes it easier than ever to post reminders and notable factoids discussed during regular class time hours. Teachers can simply upload pictures of relevant material (such as textbook chapters, learning resources, etc.) to share with their students. Teachers can also post motivational memes and other encouraging photos that will help build solid relationships with students by promoting lighthearted exchanges of everyday information. Additionally, instructors may post review reminders to encourage students to stay on-track with their homework and/or with remembering notable items that might be present on a quiz or test.

In return, students can also provide valuable content for their instructors as part of this positive exchange. For example, students might post subject-specific pictures from their own lives that illustrate concepts explored in class. Additionally, students might provide a sort of “photo essay” for instructors, which is a practical, lighthearted way for instructors to gauge student progress on an infrequent basis. A teacher can post a relevant picture, and the class can post their thoughtful reactions to this picture using certain teacher-specific guidelines.

Of course, when it concerns Instagram and the online classroom (or any classroom for that matter), it is crucial for both teachers and students to remain professional in all of their interactions. It is equally important for instructors to check with higher education administration to fully understand any guidelines regarding acceptable social media activity.

Want to learn more about how teachers can use Instagram in the online classroom? Contact us today.

How truly inspired learning brings your medical training to life

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Online healthcare courses are the norm for today’s budding medical students. Most students dread the boring, two-dimensional, rote learning of “online courses.” Online healthcare courses don’t have to take the inspiration out of learning. At Avidity, our courses are designed to engage and inspire you! What happened to hands-on anatomy, the engaging questions and answers in pathology or epidemiology? None of these topics are cut and dry – and that is what makes the study and practice of medicine so fascinating.

In a field that is constantly evolving and innovation, the way we learn and transfer that learning into the real world should bejust as exciting. Welcome to Avidity Medical Design, where we bring your online healthcare courses to vivid, vibrant life. Our courses are so uniquely engaging, so completely inspired, they smooth out the inevitable transition from book learning to on-the-spot clinical experience.

How do we do it? Here’s some insight into how to transfer your online training directly to the medical office:

how to transfer your training to the medical officeThe right tools for the job

The world of online healthcare course design is a lot bigger than most people realize. Why shouldn’t we be usingDreamweaver, Captivate, and Sharepoint in addition to introducing the standard medical software? Sheila D. McCray, MS, CCS, CCS-P, principal of Avidity Medical Design, holds certifications in all these applications and more. She brings her vast experience in medical coding and software design to bear in Avidity’s online health courses.

Captivating visuals of anatomy and biological processes brilliantly animated come to life before your eyes. Because Sheila holds a Master’s in Instructional and Performance Technology, the courses she designs for Avidity illuminate medical billing, coding, and statistics like you’ve never seen them before.

An engaged learner is a real-world doer

Because our online courses aim to engage all your senses, and to present information in new, innovative ways, you graduate with an internalized understanding of real-world, clinical applications of all your learning. It is not enough to memorize by rote. Medical offices are anything but predictable, rote, and routine! Avidity’s online healthcare courses transfer your engaged learning directly to your new medical career, doing what you love.

The more engaged you are with the material, the easier it is to transfer your training to the medical office. Contact us to get started with the most exciting online healthcare courses today!

The Role of Instagram for Students in the Online Classroom

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instagram and the online classroomWhen people think of Instagram in the classroom they typically think of problems students have goofing off on social media and sharing pictures and video when they should be paying attention to what the teacher is talking about. When it comes to online learning and the digital classroom though, Instagram might be a useful tool instead of a useless distraction.

Instagram and the Online Classroom

For those of you not familiar with Instagram as a service, it’s a social media platform that specializes in sharing pictures and video both among Instagram users and within other social media platforms. For those whose entire classroom experience takes place over the Internet, the ability to quickly share images and video with classmates can be a necessity. Instructors may also find the video-sharing capabilities of Instagram to be beneficial for making announcements and for getting lectures into a student’s news feed.

The real power of Instagram isn’t the speed with which this media can be shared though; it’s that Instagram posts across different platforms. This means that someone can post an image or video once, and it will shoot across several different social media websites. This can be extremely useful for teachers, or for group projects when someone wants to make sure everyone sees an update, but that person doesn’t want to post and re-post the same content a dozen times.

Any technology that allows for faster, more streamlined communication across great distances is going to find a use in the online classroom. The key to Instagram is to use it to enhance the learning experience. For more information about social media and its place in the online classroom simply contact us today!

Is Facebook A Good Tool For eLearning?

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We’ve all heard the business benefits, but what about the benefits of Facebook in eLearning? There are actually numerous uses for Facebook in the classroom. Many of these uses most people might not think about, while others are little more obvious. However, they all increase the education quality for the students using them.

  • Trends, polls and reviews are great way to incorporate Facebook into the classroom. Using trends and newsfeeds, students can use Facebook to track new information pertaining the role of Facebook in eLearningto subjects covered in class. The polls and reviews can collect opinions in order to maximize class experience for the students. Giving the students the ability to have their input integrated directly into the class structure.
  • A Facebook page is a more obvious use of Facebook in the classroom. Offering an open flow forum for information that is very beneficial, much like classroom discussion. This can allow students to utilize each other for personal benefit as well as the class as a whole. This also gives the professor easy access to understanding where their students are in the learning process.
  • Facebook Groups are an easy way too literally get everyone on the same page. Groups have the option of privacy so that only the people invited can see what happens in the group page. This is a great way for a professor to assign assignments and delegate questions from outside of the classroom.
  • Facebook events allow professors to update the date and time for tests, as well as for make up opportunities. It is also beneficial for classes where students are required to attend outside lectures and activities. Because the events on Facebook have the capacity to sync with smart phones, students no longer have excuses for missing tests or activities.
  • Brainstorming and sharing are two benefits that Facebook has that you don’t see as much in the classroom. Because it is text-based communication, you don’t have to worry about the conflict of people trying to talking simultaneously. This allows for sharing of discussion topics, URLs and information seamlessly among students.

Facebook and other social medias have a wide variety of uses, both inside and outside the classroom. Contact us for more information about how you can integrate eLearning in your classroom.

Tips For How to Get a Healthcare Internship in the Online Classroom

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The normal course of events in college is that you go to class, get your degree, and get a job. Some fields are less likely to hire fresh graduates though, which is why it’s often a good idea to complete an internship. Since it’s now possible to take your classes and get your degree online, it’s also possible for you to get an online internship.

How to Get a Healthcare Internship in the Online Classroomhow to get a healthcare internship in the online classroom

Tip #1: Use Your Network

One of the biggest advantages of attending college is the network it provides. You have teachers, classmates, and even support staff at the school to help you find jobs as well as internships. If you’re looking for an online healthcare internship then you should touch base with all of these outlets and ask if they can help you find one. Sometimes your teacher will be able to recommend you to one right off the bat, ending your search almost as soon as it’s begun.

Tip #2: Check Your Email and Newsletters

Businesses offering online internships will often contact colleges who will try to relay the openings to students. That’s why it’s important to check the student announcements and to see if there are newsletters or email lists you can subscribe to through school. Often these will help you find leads.

Tips #3: Spruce Up Your Resume

It’s important to make yourself look good on paper since this will help you land an internship. Contact the student writing center, your professor, or even other classmates to get advice on how you should structure your resume. This is important for getting an online internship, so you need to start strong.

Tip #4: Ask About Online Options (Even if None Are Listed)

It is important to remember that you may find the perfect internship, but it may not necessarily not be an online one. Don’t be afraid to email the program and ask if the internship is an online internship, or to double-check with your academic advisor just to make sure.

Keep in mind that the goal of your internship is to help you gain experience and sharpen your skills in the field that you choose. An internship gives you the opportunity to prove that you are a hard worker and a self-starter, who is willing to learn. For more tips on how to get a good internship, contact us today!

The Many Benefits of YouTube in Healthcare eLearning

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The human body hasn’t changed all that much in thousands of years. What has changed is our level of knowledge about it, and the tools we use to educate ourselves on what is going on inside all of us. While there’s nothing wrong with reading text books and examining medical diagrams (if that method is the one that cements the facts you need in your mind) there are a lot of useful tools available at the touch of a button. One of those tools is YouTube.

The Benefits of YouTube in Healthcare eLearning

The Benefits of YouTube in Healthcare eLearningYouTube is the go-to location for everything from adorable cat videos to people failing at parkour and bike ramping, but the site is also replete with videos on anatomy, surgery, proper technique for delivering CPR, and hundreds of other useful healthcare facts. These videos are typically easy to find, and because of the nature of YouTube they’re free to access aside from the cost in time of watching an ad or two. Also thanks to the advances in technology and mobile devices you can watch these videos on your phone, on a tablet, on your laptop, or even on an old-fashioned desktop machine.

YouTube has revolutionized the way we think about video, and it has made things that once would have been expensive or difficult to find easy to locate and free to watch. Not only that but due to the impact of social media it’s possible to quickly and easily share YouTube videos with classmates, instructors, and even friends who might just have a passing interest in the field. You can watch these videos over and over again without any costs until you have absorbed them completely.

The Future of eLearning?

The Internet has made it possible for students to connect and share information in ways that would never have been possible before. It’s also rendered the traditional classroom unnecessary for a number of different subjects. Students who choose to embrace elearning need access to all the tools they can get, and YouTube is quickly becoming one of the best sources of useful, actionable information they could ask for.

For more information on elearning in healthcare simply contact us today!