 |
 |
|
|
|
免费阅读内容
一、学校常用英文术语
Accreditation（认证）：教育机构由正式机构或协会认证为保持了可接受标准或实践的流程。
Academic Advisor（学业顾问）：在学业或个人需要方面协助学生的校园管理员。学业顾问也可以是教授。
Academic Calendar（校历）：教育机构遵循的日历，通常规定学校开学日期、期终考试时间等。
Academic Honesty and Integrity（学业忠诚和诚信）：许多大学和学院制定的描述关于作弊、捏造、剽窃和未授权合作的政策。
Academic Term（学期）：大学或学院上课的时间。有些学期可能按半学年（通常 15 周）、三个月（通常 1O 周）或季度（通常 10 周）开设。
Bachelor Degree（学士学位）：为完成本科学业授予的学术学位。授予的最常见学位是 B.S.（科学学士）和 B.A.（艺术学士）。学士学位通常在四年内完成。
Bookstore（书店）：校园中学生们可以购买到上课所需书籍和其他必需学习用品的地方。
Bursar (Student Accounts, Student Services, Financial Aid) [财务主管（学生财务、学生服务、财务援助）]：财务主管通常是指大学或学院里的首席财务主管。学生们可能会被要求到财务主管办公室办理与学生财务相关的业务。
Degree-Seeking Student（攻读学位的学生）：主动进入学术机构并攻读学士、硕士和博士学位的学生。
Degree Requirements（学位要求）：列举获取学位要求的课程。
Dining Hall（餐厅）：校园内学生就餐的地方。
Disability Student Services（残障学生服务）：大学或学院中有认知或生理缺陷的学生可以接受帮助的办公室。此办公室可能负责为学生决定并提供相应的住宿，例如辅导、考试延时等。
ESL（英语作为第二语言）：正在学习英语的学生或课程用到的术语。
Endowment（资助）：大学或学院投资的总价值。资助通常用来为大学的运营提供资金，能够决定可用财务援助数额。
Full Time（全日制）：以最少学分或课程数入学的学生，以攻读所有课程。 需要保持“全日制”状态的学分数各个大学都不同，但是全日制入学通常要求保持签证状态。
Graduate Work (or graduate study)[研究生工作（或者研究生学业）]：学生攻读研究生学位（通常硕士或博士学位）的时段。
International Student（国际学生）：非美国国民或永久居住的外国学生或者申请者。
On-Campus Housing（校内宿舍）：大学或学院里为学生提供的住宿。通常指宿舍、学生宿舍或校内公寓。
Off-Campus Housing（校外公寓）：大学或学院为校外学生提供的住宿。
Orientation（迎新会）：在学期、三个月或季度的开始时段，新学生能够通过组织的课程适应他们新的大学或学院生活。迎新会通常在学期、三个月或季度的开始举行。
Residence Hall（学生宿舍）：也叫宿舍。为大学或学院学生提供睡觉或居住的场所。
Resident Assistant（R.A.，宿舍助理）：通常由经培训的高年级学生担任，协助满足其他居住在宿舍的学生的需要。
Resident Director（R.D.，宿舍总监）：也称为区域总监或区域协调员，是管理宿舍助理的管理员。这些管理员也居住在宿舍，并且经过培训为学生提供个人、学业或社会需要等方面的协助，也包括紧急情况。
Student Affairs（学生事务）：也称为学生生活。通常是指负责学生学业建议和支持服务的大学办公室。该办公室也负责监管学生活动、学生自治和其他校园资源。
Undergraduate Work（本科生工作）：也称为本科生学业。学生在读完中学后攻读本科学位的时间（通常是学士学位）。
申请条款
ACT：大学和学院在录取流程中使用的一种标准化考试。
Admission Interview（录取面试）：申请人展现其申请中除成绩单、论文和标准化考试分数以外才能的机会。不是所有的大学和学院都进行录取面试，只有小部分才要求申请人参加面试。申请人可能与录取官、校友、大学管理员或在校学生进行面谈。
Admitted Student（录取的学生）：已经被大学或学院录取的学生。
Campus Tours（校园参观）：潜在学生参观大学或学院的机会，对各个场所进行指导参观，以更多地了解学校。也有一些学校通过它们的网站提供虚拟参观。
Common Application（普通申请）：学生可以填写一种表格以将申请递交给不同的大学或学院的程序。一些学校的确需要除通过 CommonApp.org 所能获得的其他更多材料。确保与正在申请的学校核实，以确保您在规定期限前满足了要求。
Early Action（提前申请）：一种录取程序，申请者将他们的申请材料提前递交给大学或学院，通常在其高三年度的 11 月 15 日以前，以在 12 月底以前收到他们的录取决定。
Early Decision（预先录取）：学生申请其第一志愿大学的一种录取程序，通常在其高三时年度的 11 月 15 日以前。根据预先录取协议，如果学生被录取，他们就需要就读于第一志愿学校。您可以只申请一所预先录取的学校。
Grade Point Average（G.P.A，年级平均成绩）：用来描述在中学取得的所有分数的平均分数。一些录取官将会重新评估您的 GPA，以只包括学业课程。关于美国录取流程中如何使用 GPA 的更多信息，请参阅我们的网站。
IELTS（国际英语语言测试服务）：是一种经常要求国际学生参加的标准化考试，以测试其英语掌握程序。
Legacy（遗赠）：是指申请人有一位或多位直系亲属就读或毕业于其正在申请的大学或学院。
Prospective Student（潜在学生）：有兴趣申请特定大学或学院的任何学生。
Regular Admission（定期录取）：最常见的录取流程，学生在规定截止日期（通常是一月或二月）以前申请大学或学院。
Rolling Admission（滚动录取）：一种录取程序，录取官会在申请一完成就核实申请， 并在做出决定后立即发布申请结果。
SAT 或 Scholastic Aptitude Test（学习能力倾向测试）：大学和学院在录取流程中使用的一种标准化考试。
Secondary School (or high school)[中学（或者高中）]：一般指学生开始其本科学习以前完成的教育。
Selective College（选择性大学）：也称为竞争性大学，是不招收所有申请学生的大学或学院。选择性在同一机构内的教育机构和程序之间存在很大不同。
Standardized Test（标准化考试）：经常要求作为申请流程部分的考试。这些考试包括 ACT、SAT、TOEFL 和 IELTS。不是所有的大学和学院都要求标准化考试。
Test of English as a Foreign Language（英语作为外语的测试，TOEFL）：是一种经常要求国际学生参加的标准化考试，以测试其英语掌握程序。
Transcript（成绩单）：学生在学术机构获得的所有课程和分数的记录。申请过程要求学生提交中学时的正式学业成绩单。
Wait List（候补表）：申请人不会被大学或学院录取，除非在 5 月 1 日保证金截止日期以后有富余名额。
Award Letter（嘉奖函）：已申请财务援助的学生接收到的通知他们将获得多少助学金、贷款和奖学金等财务援助的信函。此信函还列举了入学费用、预期家庭支出，以及接受或拒绝所提供资金的接下来的相关步骤的信息。
Cost of Attendance（入学费用，COA）：就读教育机构一年的计划费用，包括学费、杂费、住宿、伙食、课本、日用品、交通和个人花费等。
Demonstrated Financial Need（证明的财务需要）：在从入学费用中扣除预计的家庭支出后学生需要以财务援助的形式接收到的资金数额。
Expected Family Contribution（预计家庭援助，EFC）：家庭预计为其学生教育投入的资金数额。此数额由财务援助表格中提交的信息决定。
Financial Aid（财务援助）：财务援助学生和其家庭接收到的用于教育的奖学金、助学金、工作研究和贷款的表格。
Grants（助学金）：不一定需要偿还的财务援助资金。助学金通过联邦政府、州级机构和单独的大学提供。
Loan（贷款）：向学生和家长们提供的不一定需要偿还的财务援助资金。贷款计划可能来自政府或私营公司。期限和利息有很大不同。
Merit-Based Aid（基于优秀的援助）：基于优秀的奖学金通常是所有合格的申请者都可以获得的资金，由财务需要以外的因素决定的，例如高中时的学习成绩、领导能力或特定才能等。
Need Based Aid（基于需要的援助）：当财务需要是决定性因素时提供的财务援助。
Need Blind（需求无关）：大学或学院在决定录取时不考虑申请人的财务需求时参考的政策。
Need Aware（考虑需求）：大学或学院在决定录取时考虑申请人的财务需求时参考的政策。
Scholarships（奖学金）：不一定需要偿还的财务支援资金。奖学金基于诸多方面进行授予，例如文化背景、成绩、课外活动等。通常需要单独的申请流程。
移民条款
Curricular Practical Training（课程实践培训，CPT）：面向执 F-1 签证的学生授予的一种工作授权，使学生能够参与为应用和实践其在学业中掌握的知识和技能所立的项目。
Declaration of Finances（财务声明）：要求国际学生提交的证明其财务支持的表格。您必须提供一份正式的银行信函，表明您有足够的资金（来自家庭或者官方赞助）来支付全年的费用（学费、住宿和伙食、生活费等），具体的数额每所大学都不同。您可能还需要随此表格提交一份护照复印件。需要凭此表格来接收您的 I-20 表格，应该在大学规定截止日期以前完成。
Form I-20（I-20 表格）： 通常由您正式决定就读的大学或学院签发。是针对执 F-1 签证且计划全日制就读于其正在入学的大学和学院的学生签发的表格。
DS-2019 Form（DS-2019 表格）：由授权您作为交流学者或交换学生进行入学的大学或学院签发的。这些学生只在美国短期学习，并将接收 J-1 签证。
Sevis Fee（Sevis 费用）：由美国国土安全局征收的由国会批准的强制费用，用于支付学生和交流学者计划的持续运营费用。
Visa（签证）：您将接收到的允许您进入和离开美国的文档。大部分国际学生都将接收到 F-1 签证。
Form I-94（表格 I-94）： 是您的官方“到达-离开记录”ac。在您到达美国时签发的一张白色小卡片。表格 I-94 是重要的移民文档，因为它表明了您的移居状态。
Optional Practical Training（选择实践培训，OPT）：这是 F-1 非移民签证的一项优势，允许学生在校外从事与其学业相关的工作。
二、人体的介绍
Introduction to The Human Body One of the first things you need to know when working in English is the parts of the body. You will need to learn the names of the internal (inside the skin) and external body parts. You will also need to learn the words for the functions of each of these body parts. Here are the basics to get you started.
Head Inside the head is the brain, which is responsible for thinking. The top of a person's scalp is covered with hair. Beneath the hairline at the front of the face is the forehead. Underneath the forehead are the eyes for seeing, the nose for smelling, and the mouth for eating. On the outside of the mouth are the lips, and on the inside of the mouth are the teeth for biting and the tongue for tasting. Food is swallowed down the throat. At the sides of the face are the cheeks and at the sides of the head are the ears for hearing. At the bottom of a person's face is the chin. The jaw is located on the inside of the cheeks and chin. The neck is what attaches the head to the upper body.
Upper Body At the top and front of the upper body, just below the neck is the collar bone. On the front side of the upper body is the chest, which in women includes the breasts. Babies suck on the nipples of their mother's breasts. Beneath the ribcage are the stomach and the waist. The navel, more commonly referred to as the belly button, is located here as well. On the inside of the upper body are the heart for pumping blood and the lungs for breathing. The rear side of the upper body is called the back, inside which the spine connects the upper body to the lower body.
Upper Limbs (arms)
Lower Body Below the waist, on left and right, are the hips. Between the hips are the reproductive organs, the penis (male) or the vagina (female). At the back of the lower body are the buttocks for sitting on. They are also commonly referred to as the rear end or the bum (especially with children). The internal organs in the lower body include the intestines for digesting food, the bladder for holding liquid waste, as well as the liver and the kidneys. This area also contains the woman's uterus, which holds a baby when a woman is pregnant.
Lower Limbs (legs)
Common Diseases 1 We shall discuss Acute Bronchitis in clinical terms as well as related words by means of a role play.
三、药物怎样影响病人的护理
How algorithm driven medicine can affect patient care Whenever someone is scheduled for an operation, the assigned nurse is required to fill out a “pre-op checklist” to ensure that all safety and quality metrics are being adhered to. Before the patient is allowed to be wheeled into the OR we make sure the surgical site is marked, the consents are signed, all necessary equipment is available, etc. One of the most important metrics involves the peri-operative administration of IV antibiotics. SCIP guidelines mandate that the prophylactic antibiotic is given within an hour of incision time to optimize outcomes. This has been drilled into the heads of physicians, health care providers, and ancillary staff to such an extent that it occasionally causes total brain shutdown.
Let me explain. For most elective surgeries I give a single dose of antibiotics just before I cut. For elective colon surgery, the antibiotics are continued for 24 hours post-op. This is accepted standard of care. You don’t want to give antibiotics inappropriately or continue them indefinitely.
But what about a patient with gangrenous cholecystitis or acute appendicitis? What if, in my clinical judgment, I want to start the patient on antibiotics right away (i.e. several hours before anticipated incision time) and then continue them for greater than 24 hours post-op, depending on what the clinical status warrants? I should be able to do that right?
Well, you’d be surprised. You see, at two different, unaffiliated hospitals I cover, the surgeons have seen that decision-making capability removed from their power. If a young patient comes in with acute appendicitis and I feel that it would be prudent to continue the Zosyn an extra couple of days, an automatic stop order is triggered in the department of pharmacy and the antibiotic is stopped after 24 hours, no matter what. Unless the surgeon specifically writes “please do not stop this antibiotic after 24 hours; it is being administered for therapeutic purposes, not prophylaxis,” the antibiotic will not be sent to the patient’s floor for administration. As a result, patients end up being treated sub-optimally, and potentially harmed, due to an over-emphasis on “protocol” and “quality care metrics.”
Similarly, the 60-minute timeline for pre-operative antibiotic administration can be problematic. I have had patients come into the ER with appendicitis or cholecystitis and, in my pre-op orders, write for Zosyn or whatever, to be started ASAP, no matter what time the operation is scheduled. Not too long ago, I admitted a gallbladder over the phone at 2am. I gave the nurse admitting orders which included one for a broad spectrum antibiotic.
When I saw the patient in the morning, I added her on to the OR schedule. By the time a room opened up, it was about 10:30am. The OR nurse asked me if I wanted to give an antibiotic for the case. I told her that the patient was already on antibiotics as part of her admit orders for treatment. The nurse shook her hand. It had never been given; the floor nurse held it so that it wasn’t administered until 60 minutes before the scheduled OR time, just like the algorithm dictates — despite the fact it had been ordered nearly 8 hours prior to the case, not for peri-op prophylaxis, but for treatment of an established pathology. And there it was, the cefotetan, hanging on her IV stand. Now nothing bad happened, but here you have a situation where health care providers are so terrified of violating Quality Assurance Protocol that they end up withholding necessary treatment. It’s just astounding.
As surgeons, we have bitched and moaned. You would think that these issues would be quickly rectified. But no. It is the responsibility of the surgeon to write qualifying statements for therapeutic antibiotics because the default mode is to override a licensed physician’s clinical judgment. This is what I’m talking about when I say that blind allegiance to a top-down, systems analysis-driven algorithm can turn everyone involved in health care into a bunch of mindless drones.
四、医院用品，设施和实验室医学
Hospital Supplies, Facilities and Laboratory Medicine This unit is intended to introduce participants to basic Hospital supplies ranging from disposables to reusable supplies. Hospital facilities such as laboratories as well as Medical imaging facilities will be methodologically taught in such a fashion that will ensure course participants naturally become familiar with them. As for laboratory Medicine, this unit is designed to help participants enhance their clinical communication skills by answering questions such as: What is tested in the laboratory? What is a clinical specimen? What comprises the laboratory department? What is the difference between lab technicians and lab technologists?
THE FACILITY In addition to recommendations of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) for facilities used in the provision of care to hospitalized patients, the following is a list of basic facility needs for the care of children from birth to 18 years of age: · Single- or double-occupancy rooms that comply with guidelines for prevention of nosocomial infections2 and that are large enough to accommodate parents who stay with their children. · Patient room configuration and bed positioning that allow convenient observation and supervision of patients by nursing staff, especially if parents are not available. · Covered electrical outlets, childproof window locks and door latches, padding of sharp edges, and nonslip, easily maintained floor surfaces. · Age-appropriate furniture, including cribs equipped with safe overhead restraints and beds with covered mechanical or electrical controls. Beds, cribs, and other furniture should meet Consumer Product Safety Commission standards · Area set aside for play, entertainment, education, and other child life activities. · Separate treatment room for patient assessment and procedures. Interior design and decor are not addressed in this statement. Information about child-friendly, developmentally appropriate environments may be obtained from the Institute for Family-Centered Care
EQUIPMENT Essential medical equipment for pediatric care is included in the following list. Additional information on pediatric resuscitation equipment is included in the AAP policy statement “Guidelines for Pediatric Emergency Care Facilities”3 and in standard pediatric emergency care textbooks.4 · Resuscitation cart containing pediatric-specific supplies —Common pediatric emergency drugs should be readily accessible and plainly labeled. Drug dosing by weight or length should be easily referenced. —The resuscitation cart should also have an appropriate assortment of the various sizes of pediatric oxygen masks, endotracheal tubes, laryngoscope blades, oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airways, and self-inflating bags (ie, Ambu bags [Ambu International, Linthicum, MD]) with various sizes of masks. A size-appropriate backboard for resuscitation should be available. · A cardiac defibrillator designed for pediatric use with paddles for infants and children. · A chart for appropriate joule dosages for weight should be readily available. · Cardiorespiratory monitors appropriate for the level of pediatric care provided. · Respiratory equipment in appropriate sizes for infants and children. · Necessary items include oxygen masks, nasal cannulas, tubing, self-inflating (Ambu) bags and masks, oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airways, suctioning equipment and catheters, nebulizers with pediatric-sized face masks, spacer devices and masks for metered-dose inhalers, pulse oximeters with appropriate infant and pediatric probes, and infant and pediatric tracheostomy supplies. · Intravenous catheters, phlebotomy equipment, and lumbar puncture trays that are size appropriate; extremity warmers, such as chemical packs that warm via exothermic reaction, for improving peripheral blood flow and facilitating blood sampling in infants; papoose boards, adequately padded, of at least 2 sizes for immobilization of infants and children. · Common neonatal and pediatric intravenous solutions, such as small vials of 10% dextrose, 100 and 250 mL bags of common pediatric intravenous solutions such as 5% dextrose with one-half normal saline or lactated Ringer’s solution, 5% dextrose with one-quarter normal saline or lactated Ringer’s solution, and intravenous infusion pumps designed for pediatric use with precise administration of small infusion rates. · Scales and stadiometers for infants and older children. · Pediatric appropriate dietary supplies, such as common newborn formulas, pediatric nutritional supplements, and dietary choices that appeal to children; appropriately sized assortment of orogastric and nasogastric feeding tubes and enteral feeding pum designed for precise administration of small infusion rates. · Pediatric urine collection devices and appropriately sized urinary catheters. · Mercury-free thermometers and blood pressure devices (various sizes of blood pressure cuffs). · Pediatric orthopedic equipment, including wheelchairs, crutches, slings, and splints. · Infant incubators for small infants with temperature control problems. · Portable lamps for bedside procedures. · Developmentally appropriate books, toys, games, and when economically feasible, electronic media such as videocassette players and computers. —Toys and equipment should be safe for use by children with impaired mobility. —Infection control should be a priority, with all toys, equipment, and play surfaces regularly cleaned with appropriate germicidal solutions. —Computers that are available for pediatric patient use should have Internet access limited to child-appropriate sites
SUPPORT SERVICES The following therapeutic and diagnostic facilities should be available on a 24-hour basis: · Routine radiograph imaging, with a radiologist available for reading of emergency films. —Availability of computed tomography is strongly recommended. · Clinical laboratory services appropriate for neonatal and pediatric needs, including hematologic profiles, blood chemistries, blood gas studies, microbiologic profiles, and standard urine studies. —Equipment should be available to process all commonly ordered tests such as complete blood cell counts and renal and hepatic function tests using samples of less than 1 mL (“micro” samples). —Minimum amounts of blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid required for tests should be obtained and posted in the hospital laboratory and pediatric areas. —Response times should be appropriate for timely diagnosis and treatment of the child’s condition. —Topical anesthetics should be available and used before obtaining blood samples whenever possible. · Pharmacy services providing age- and size-appropriate drug administration and dosing. —Commonly used oral suspensions should be immediately available. The equipment necessary to create pediatric liquid formulations, including pill crushers, suspension agents, and flavoring solutions, should be available. Pediatric oral suspension delivery devices, such as oral medication syringes and pacifiers that deliver liquid medications, should be available. —Doses of antibiotics that are known to cause ototoxicity or nephrotoxicity, such as vancomycin, tobramycin, and gentamycin, should be calculated using computer programs or calculations based on appropriate neonatal or pediatric pharmacokinetic models. Serum drug concentrations should be obtained to optimize dosage amounts and intervals. Clinical judgment should be used before ordering multiple serum concentrations if the antibiotic is to be discontinued with negative cultures or oral antibiotics are to be started as soon as the patient is afebrile. —Current references for pediatric drug dosing and drug interactions should be easily available. A liaison with a tertiary care children’s hospital pharmacy is advised to help minimize the possibility of adverse consequences in off-label use of drugs and drug dosing. The following services should be available as needed: social work services; pastoral services; sign and foreign language interpretation; and respiratory, physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Professionals providing these services should have adequate training and continuing education provided in the pediatric applications of their respective fields. If a child is hospitalized for more than 2 school days, a designated hospital employee, such as nurse, social worker, or child life specialist, should serve as a liaison with the child’s school to assist the parents in providing for the child’s educational needs. Child life services are recommended whenever feasible.5 These specialists provide a valuable service in addressing the psychosocial concerns of children and families during hospitalization and provide support for the concept of family-centered care in the medical setting.
五、常用临床医学术语
General Clinical terminology This document basically contains the following: 这份材料主要包括以下几部分内容： 1 List of Health Care practitioners（医疗卫生人员职衔职称词汇表） 2 List of Departments in a teaching Hospital（医院科室词汇） 3 General clinical terms for communication with members of medical team（医务工作者交流常用临床术语） 4 Medical examination terminology & Public health terms（体检术语&公共卫生学术语） 5 Obstetrics and Gynecology equipment & terms（妇产科设备与术语） 6 Health Insurance glossary （医疗保险词汇表）
1 List of Health Care practitioners Hospital Administrator Chief Consultant Resident doctor Registrar House Officer Medical intern Specialist Surgeons Oncologist Neurologist Cardiologist Psychiatrist Gynecologist Radiologist Dermatologist Pathologist Anesthesiologist Otolaryngologist - ENT Ear, nose, throat Nutritionist - is a person who advises on matters of food and nutrition impacts on health. Dietician - is a health care professional who focuses on proper food and nutrition in order to promote good health. Occupational therapist - is a discipline that aims to promote health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful activities. Clinical Psychologist Physiotherapist / Physical Therapist Social Workers - A social worker is a professional who, most often, works with people and helps them manage their daily lives, understand and adapt to illness, disability, and death, and obtain social services, such as health care, government assistance, and legal aid. Genetic Counselors Paramedics Nursing Services RN registered Nurse Matron/ Chief Nursing Officer Scrub Nurse - provides support during surgery as well as post-operative patient care.
2 List of Departments in a teaching Hospital
A
Adult Cardiac Surgery
Adult Day Care Program
Adult Diagnostic/Invasive Catheterization
Adult Interventional Cardiac Catheterization
Airborne Infection Isolation Room
Alcohol & Drug Dependency Unit
Alzheimer’s Center
Ambulance Services
Ambulatory Surgery Outpatient Service
Angioplasty Department
Arthritis Treatment Center
Assisted Living Department
Auxiliary Organization
Birthing Room/LDR Room/LDRP Room
Blood Bank
Breast Cancer Screening/Mammograms
Burn Care Unit
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Case Management Department
Chaplaincy/Pastoral Care Services
Chemotherapy
Children’s Wellness Program
Chiropractic Services
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Community Health Reporting Department
Community Health Status Assessment
Community Health Status Based Service Planning
Community Outreach Department
Complementary Medicine
Computer Assisted Orthopedic Surgery
Diagnostic Radioisotope Facility
Emergency Department
Enabling Services
Enrollment Assistance Services
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripter (ESWL)
Fitness Center
Freestanding Ambulatory Care Center
Freestanding Satellite Emergency Department
Full Field Digital Mammography
Combines the x-ray generators and tubes used in analog screen-film mammography with a detector plate that converts the x-rays into a digital signal.
Geriatric Services
Health Fair Department
Health Information Center
Health Screening Department
Hemodialysis Department
Histopathology Laboratory
HIV/AIDS Services
Home Health Services
Hospice
Hospital Based Outpatient Care Services
Hospital Laboratory
Hospital Library
In-House Pharmacy
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy
Intermediate Nursing Care
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Meals on Wheels
Medical Surgical Intensive Care Unit
Mobile Health Services
Multislice Spiral Computed Tomography
Neonatal Intermediate Care
Neurological Services
Nuclear Medicine Department
Nutrition Program Department
Occupational Health Services
Occupational Therapy Services
Oncology Services
Open Heart Surgery Services
Orthopedic Surgery Services
Other Special Care
Outpatient Care Center
Palliative Care Program
Patient Education Center
Patient Representative Services
Patient-Controlled Analgesia
Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
Pediatric Diagnostic/Invasive Catheterization
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Pediatric Interventional Cardiac Catheterization
Pediatric Medical-Surgical Care
Pediatric Ward
Physical Rehabilitation
Physical Therapy Services
Positron Emission Tomography Scanner (PET)
Positron Emission Tomography Scanner PET/CT
Primary Care Department
Psychiatric Care Unit
Psychiatric Child Adolescent Services
Psychiatric Consultation-Liaison Services
Psychiatric Education Services
Psychiatric Emergency Services
Psychiatric Geriatric Services
Psychiatric Outpatient Services
Psychiatric Partial Hospitalization Program
Reproductive Health Services
Respiratory Therapy Services
Retirement Housing
Robotic Surgery
Single Photon Emission Computerized Tomography Unit
Skilled Nursing or Other Long-Term Care Unit
Sleep Lab Department
Social Services
Speech Therapy Services
Sports Medicine Department
Sterotactic Radiosurgery
Subacute Care
Support Groups
Swing Bed Services
Tobacco Treatment/Cessation Programs
Transplant Services
Trauma Centers
Urgent Care Center
Volunteer Services Department
Wound Care Unit
3 General clinical terms for communication with members of medical team In-patient – Hospitalized patient Outpatient – Patient comes from home for treatment Patients physical condition on presentation in clinic – dehydration (loss of fluid without replenishment), Pale (Anemia), Febrile (Fever) Afebrile (opposite of Febrile) Immunization - is the process by which an individual's immune system becomes fortified against an agent (known as the immunogen). Vaccination - is the administration of antigenic material (a vaccine) to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens. Sterilization – kill micro organisms using heat and other methods Pasteurization – heating of milk, diary, food Family tree – A family tree, or pedigree chart, is a chart representing family relationships in a conventional tree structure Patients History – events surrounding patients past and present condition Observation Consulting room Consultant - Expert Medical History – family and patient health history Epidemic – disease outbreak Prescriptions Referral – Transfer patient to specialist expert for further care Refills – medication refill Appointment – next patients scheduled visit
4 Medical examination terminology & Public health terms Prevalence - Stillbirth is a relatively common, but often random, occurrence. The mean stillbirth rate in the United States is approximately 1 in 115 births, which is roughly 26,000 stillbirths each year, or on an average one every 20 minutes. In Australia, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the rate is approximately 1 in every 200 births, in Scotland 1 in 167. Many stillbirths occur at full term to apparently healthy mothers, and a postmortem evaluation reveals a cause of death in only about 40% of autopsied cases. Epidemiology - is the study of health-event, health-characteristic, or health-determinant patterns in a population. It is the cornerstone method of public health research, and helps inform policy decisions and evidence-based medicine by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive medicine. Etiology - is the study of causation, or origination. Anatomical position - the body is assumed to be standing, the feet together, the arms to the side, and the head and eyes and palms of the hands facing forwards. To ensure consistency of description it is important to keep the anatomical position constantly in mind. This last point is an important one, since in a normal relaxed position of the body, the thumb points anteriorly. In anatomical parlance, the thumb is a lateral structure, not an anterior one. Supine position - is a position of the body: lying down with the face up, as opposed to the prone position, which is face down, sometimes with the hands behind the head or neck. When used in surgical procedures, it allows access to the peritoneal, thoracic and pericardial regions; as well as the head, neck and extremities. Lateral position Anterior Posterior Epidural space - In the spine, the epidural space (also known as "extradural space" or "peridural space") is the outermost part of the spinal canal. It is the space within the canal (formed by the surrounding vertebrae) lying outside the dura mater (which encloses the arachnoid mater, subarachnoid space, the cerebrospinal fluid, and the spinal cord). Lumbar puncture - or LP, and colloquially known as a spinal tap) is a diagnostic and at times therapeutic procedure that is performed in order to collect a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for biochemical, microbiological, and cytological analysis, or very rarely as a treatment ("therapeutic lumbar puncture") to relieve increased intracranial pressure. Vital signs – BP, pulse, Temperature Respiration rate - (Vf, Rf or RR) is also known by respiration rate, pulmonary ventilation rate, ventilation rate, or breathing frequency is the number of breaths taken within a set amount of time. Typically within 60 seconds.
5 Obstetrics and Gynecology equipment & terms Ø Clinical O &G and terms Menstrual cycle - The menstrual cycle is the scientific term for the physiological changes that can occur in fertile women. Ovulation - Ovulation is the process in a female's menstrual cycle by which a mature ovarian follicle ruptures and discharges an ovum (also known as an oocyte, female gamete, or casually, an egg). Ovulation also occurs in the estrous cycle of other female mammals, which differs in many fundamental ways from the menstrual cycle. The time immediately surrounding ovulation is referred to as the ovulatory phase or the periovulatory period. Embryo/ Leukoblast IVF - In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a process by which egg cells are fertilized by sperm outside the body: in vitro. IVF is a major treatment in infertility when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed. IV – Intravenous IM – Intra muscular Subcutaneous - The hypodermis, also called the hypoderm, subcutaneous tissue, or superficial fascia is the lowermost layer of the integumentary system in vertebrates. Infusion – normal saline, dextrose Transfusion - Blood transfusion is the process of receiving blood products into one's circulation intravenously. Hypodermic - The hypodermic needle model (also known as the hypodermic-syringe model, transmission-belt model, or magic bullet theory) is a model of communications suggesting that an intended message is directly received and wholly accepted by the receiver. Palpation - is used as part of a physical examination in which an object is felt (usually with the hands of a healthcare practitioner) to determine its size, shape, firmness, or location. Palpation should not be confused with palpitation, which is an awareness of the beating of the heart. Ø Obstetrics and Gynecology equipment Suction pump - Fetal Doppler Cervical scrapper Cervical Brush Defibrillator Life support monitor Cannula Syringe Tourniquet Stethoscope Laparoscopy Endoscopy Sphygmomanometer Thermometer ECG, EEG, CT- A computerized tomography (CT) scanner is a diagnostic tool that utilizes X-rays and a computer to generate cross-sectional images of the body. Ø Genetics and Internal Medicine Amniocentesis - also referred to as amniotic fluid test or AFT) is a medical procedure used in prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities and fetal infections, in which a small amount of amniotic fluid, which contains fetal tissues, is extracted from the amnion or amniotic sac surrounding a developing fetus, and the fetal DNA is examined for genetic abnormalities. Pre natal diagnosis - It is unknown how much time is needed for a fetus to die. Fetal behavior is consistent and a change in the fetus' movements or sleep-wake cycles can indicate fetal distress. A decrease or cessation in sensations of fetal activity may be an indication of fetal distress or death, though it is not entirely uncommon for a healthy fetus to exhibit such changes, particularly near the end of a pregnancy when there is considerably little space in the uterus for the fetus to move about. Genotype - is the genetic makeup of a cell, an organism, or an individual (i.e. the specific allele makeup of the individual) usually with reference to a specific character under consideration Karyotype - is the number and appearance of chromosomes in the nucleus of an eukaryotic cell. The term is also used for the complete set of chromosomes in a Human or Guinea pig species, or an individual organism. CVS – Chorionic villus sampling - Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a test done during early pregnancy that can find certain problems with your baby (fetus). It is generally done when either you or the father has a disease that runs in the family (genetic disorder). It may also be done when you are over age 35-being over 35 increases your chance of having a baby with a chromosome defect. Abortus - a human fetus whose weight is less than 0.5 kilogram when removed or expelled from the mother's body. Spontaneous Abortion - Miscarriage Ovulation - Ovulation is the process in a female's menstrual cycle by which a mature ovarian follicle ruptures and discharges an ovum (also known as an oocyte, female gamete, or casually, an egg). Ovulation also occurs in the estrous cycle of other female mammals, which differs in many fundamental ways from the menstrual cycle. Hyperalgesia Hypovolemia - decrease in blood volume Hematoma Hematuria - is the presence of red blood cells (erythrocytes) in the urine. Platelets – Blood clotting material Erythrocytes - RBC Thrombocytes - Leukocytes - WBC Oliguria – scanty urine Coma – State of unconsciousness Shock - In medicine shock implies a failure by the circulation to meet the metabolic demand of the tissues. Dyspnea - shortness of breath (SOB), or air hunger, is the subjective symptom of breathlessness. Phobia – fear of something, hydrophobia – fear of water Spasm – Involuntary contraction Emphysema Ante partum – Before Child birth Analgesics – pain relieve drugs Sedatives – sleeping drugs Laxatives – drugs that enhance bowel or colic movement Ø Other terms (O&G) Kegel Exercise - A pelvic floor exercise, more commonly called a Kegel exercise (named after Dr. Arnold Kegel), consists of contracting and relaxing the muscles that form part of the pelvic floor, which are now sometimes colloquially referred to as the "Kegel muscles". Several tools exist to help with these exercises, though many are ineffective. Exercises are usually done to reduce urinary incontinence] and aid with childbirth in women, and reduce premature ejaculatory occurrences in men, as well as increase the size and intensity of erections. Ectomy - Removal Scopy - Examination Endo – Internal Megally – Enlargement, inflammation Hysterectomy – Removal of uterus Embolus Embolism Mastectomy Necrosis – death Endometritis Biopsy – small tissue extract for examination Mammogram Malignancy – cancer cells Benign tumor – non cancer tumor
Maternal mortality - Defined as death of either a pregnant woman or death of woman within 42 days of delivery, spontaneous abortion or termination providing the death is associated with pregnancy or its treatment. Cervical Examination - Ovarian Cyst - is any collection of fluid, surrounded by a very thin wall, within an ovary. Any ovarian follicle that is larger than about two centimeters is termed an ovarian cyst. An ovarian cyst can be as small as a pea, or larger than an orange. Fibroid - Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear during your childbearing years. Also called fibromyomas, leiomyomas or myomas, uterine fibroids aren't associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer and almost never develop into cancer. Arteriosclerosis – Thickening of arterial wall or lumen Preterm / premature birth – Most pregnancies last about 40 weeks. By definition, a premature birth takes place more than three weeks before the due date. Menopause - Hemorrhage – bleeding Intercoastal space - (ICS) is the space between two ribs (Lat. costa). Since there are 12 ribs on each side, there are 11 intercostal spaces, each numbered for the rib superior to it. Hymen – Tissue that covers the vagina orifice Ectopic Pregnancy – Outside uterus Breech Pregnancy - Usually a few weeks before birth, most babies will move into delivery position, with their head moving near the birth canal. If this does not happen, the baby's buttocks and/or feet, will be in place to be delivered first. This is called a breech presentation. Breech births occur in about 1 of 25 full-term births. Stillbirth - A stillbirth occurs when a fetus has died in the uterus. The Australian definition specifies that fetal death is termed a stillbirth after 20 weeks gestation or the fetus weighs more than 400 grams (14 oz). Once the fetus has died the mother still has contractions and remains undelivered. The term is often used in distinction to live birth or miscarriage. Most stillbirths occur in full term pregnancies. Labour Ward – Delivery room Lactating mother – Breast feeding mother Surrogate mother – Commonly a woman who bears an embryo from another woman Vagina Swap – Vagina cleaned with cotton for culture
Ø O&G Abbreviations PAP (papanicolaou) Smear test PID (pelvic inflammatory Disease) VBAC (Vaginal Birth after CS) CS (cesarean Section) Dilation of cervix FRH – fetal heart rate STI –Sexually Transmitted Infection STD – Sexually Transmitted Disease DM – Diabetes mellitus ER – Emergency PCV – packed cell volume ICU – Intensive Care unit CRP – Cardiopulmonary resuscitation ADL – Activities of daily living DOA – Dead on arrival DNA – Deoxyribonucleic acid
Actuary An actuary is a health insurance carrier number cruncher responsible for determining what premiums the company needs to charge based in large part on claims paid versus amounts of premium generated. Their job is to make sure a block of business is priced to be profitable. Admitting privilege Admitting privilege is the right granted to a doctor to admit patients to a particular hospital. Advance care planning consultations A controversial provision of H.R. 3200 would have paid physicians to provide counseling to elderly or terminally ill patients who request the counseling. The provision – ultimately omitted from the passed health reform legislation – would have paid for one counseling session at least every five years, during which patients could discuss advance care planning, advance directives, living wills, palliative care and hospice and possible life-sustaining treatments for the terminally ill. Critics said the proposal would create ”death panels” and described its intent as “guiding you in how to die.” Advance directive An advance directive indicates the person designated to make medical decisions for you if you are unable physically or mentally to make those decisions yourself. Advocacy Any activity done to help a person or group to get something the person or group needs or wants. Affordable care act (aca) The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) – also known as the Affordable Care Act or ACA – is the landmark health reform legislation passed by the 111th Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in March 2010. The legislation includes a long list of health-related provisions that began taking effect in 2010 and will “continue to be rolled out over the next four years.” Key provisions are intended to extend coverage to millions of uninsured Americans, to implement measures that will lower health care costs and improve system efficiency, and to eliminate industry practices that include rescission and denial of coverage due to pre-existing conditions. Agent Licensed salespersons who represent one or more health insurance companies and presents their products to consumers. Association Associations can offer group health insurance plans specially designed for their members and that give their members purchasing power because of the groups larger pool of enrollees. Beneficiary The beneficiary is enrolled in a health insurance plan and receives benefits through those policies. Benefit Benefit refers to the amount payable by the insurance company to a claimant, assignee, or beneficiary when the insured suffers a loss. Brand-name drug Prescription drugs marketed with a specific brand name by the company that manufactures it, usually the company which develops and patents it. When patents run out, generic versions of many popular drugs are marketed at lower cost by other companies. Check your insurance plan to see if coverage differs between name-brand and their generic twins. Broker Licensed insurance salesperson who obtains quotes and plan from multiple sources information for clients. Capitation Capitation represents a set dollar limit that you or your employer pay to a health maintenance organization (HMO), regardless of how much you use (or don’t use) the services offered by the health maintenance provider. Carrier The insurance company or HMO offering a health plan. Case management Case management is a system embraced by employers and insurance companies to ensure that individuals receive appropriate, reasonable health care services. Certificate of insurance The certificate of insurance is a printed description of the benefits and coverage provisions forming the contract between the carrier and the customer. It discloses what is covered, what is not, and dollar limits. Claim A claim is a request by an individual (or his or her provider) to an individual’s insurance company for the insurance company to pay for services obtained from a health care professional. Claim A claim is an application for benefits provided by your health plan. You must file a claim before funds will be reimbursed to your medical provider. A claim may be denied based on the carrier’s assessment of the circumstance. Coinsurance is often specified by a percentage. For example, the employee pays 20 percent toward the charges for a service and the employer or insurance company pays 80 percent. Cooperatives Cooperatives or insurance cooperatives were proposed in the Senate as an alternative to a proposed government plan or public option. The cooperatives, which would have been structured as non-profits and owned by their members, would offer a network of health care providers or contract out for medical services. The concept championed by some Democrats would provide “seed money” for the cooperatives, which would then be sustained by customer premiums. Read this Commonwealth Fund history of health cooperatives Denial of claim Denial of claim is the refusal of an insurance company or carrier to honor a request by an individual (or his or her provider) to pay for health care services obtained from a health care professional. Dependent A dependent is a person or persons relying on the policy holder for support may include the spouse and/or unmarried children (whether natural, adopted or step) of an insured. Employer-sponsored health insurance Of Americans who have health coverage, nearly 60 percent secure that coverage through an employer-sponsored plan, often called group health insurance. Millions take advantage of the coverage for reasons as obvious as employer responsibility for a significant portion of the health care expenses. Group health plans are also guaranteed issue, meaning that a carrier must cover all applicants whose employment qualifies them for coverage. In addition, employer-sponsored plans typically are able to include a range of plan options from HMO and PPO plan to additional coverage such as dental, life, short- and long-term disability. Read more about group health insurance. Read recent news articles about employer-sponsored health insurance. Related terms: group health insurance, private health insurance, individual health insurance Employer-sponsored health plans Employer-sponsored health plans currently provide some level of health coverage for approximately 160 million Americans. Employer-sponsored health plans are more likely to be provided by larger companies; in fact, an estimated 99 percent of companies with 200 or more workers offer health benefits, according to recent testimony in Congress. However, the plans face rapidly escalating premiums – up 119 percent since 1998 – and even at larger firms, up to 21 percent of workers may not be eligible for coverge, even it it’s offered. Health reform legislation proposals in Congress may include an employer mandate, designed to increase participation by employers and by more of their employees. Exchange A health insurance exchange mechanism is a key provision of health reform legislation, established to provide a selection of competing providers, each offering different qualified plans. All qualified plans must meet standards established and enforced by the Health Choices Administration. For instance, participating plans will not be allowed to discriminate against applicants based on health history (pre-existing conditions) or future risk. Competition between the plan providers would, in theory, encourage the providers to improve the quality and pricing of offered plans. Exclusion Exclusion is a provision within a health insurance policy that eliminates coverage for certain acts, property, types of damage or locations. Explanation of benefits An explanation of benefits is the insurance company’s written explanation regarding a claim, showing what they paid and what the client must pay. The document is sometimes accompanied by a benefits check. Fee-for service Fee-for-service is a system of health insurance payment in which a doctor or other health care provider is paid a free for each particular service rendered.. Generic drug Once a company’s patent on a brand-name prescription drug has expired, other drug companies are allowed to sell the same drug under a generic label. Generic drugs are less expensive, and most prescription and health plans reward clients for choosing generic drugs. Group health insurance Coverage through an employer or other entity that covers all individuals in the group. Read more about group health insurance. Related terms: employer-sponsored health insurance, private health insurance, individual health insurance Guaranteed issue Guaranteed issue refers to health insurance coverage that is guaranteed to be issued to applicants regardless of their health status, age, or income – and guarantees that the policy will be renewed as long as the policy holder continues to pay the policy premium. Health care decision counseling Services, sometimes provided by insurance companies or employers, that help individuals weigh the benefits, risks and costs of medical tests and treatments. Unlike case management, health care decision counseling is non-judgmental. The goal of health care decision counseling is to help individuals make more informed choices about their health and medical care needs, and to help them make decisions that are right for the individual’s unique set of circumstances. Health choices administration Health reform legislation called for the creation of the Health Choices Administration, a federal agency that would oversee its provisions, including the establishment of health plan benefit standards, establishment and operation of the health insurance exchanges, and administration of individual affordability credits or subsidies. The commission’s additional responsibilities would include prevention of abuses within the Health Insurance Exchange system. Health choices commissioner Health reform legislation called for the creation of a federal agency called the Health Choices Administration. Overseeing that agency would be the Health Choices Commissioner, an individual appointed by the President to oversee provisions of health reform, including the establishment of health plan benefit standards, establishment and operation of the health insurance exchanges, and administration of individual affordability credits or subsidies. The commissioner’s additional responsibilities would include prevention of abuses within the Health Insurance Exchange system. Health insurance exchange A health insurance exchange mechanism is a key provision of health reform legislation, established to provide a selection of competing providers, each offering different qualified plans. All qualified plans must meet standards established and enforced by the Health Choices Administration. For instance, participating plans will not be allowed to discriminate against applicants based on health history (pre-existing conditions) or future risk. Competition between the plan providers would, in theory, encourage the providers to improve the quality and pricing of offered plans. Health insurance portability and accountability act of 1996 (HIPAA) The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) allows persons to qualify immediately for comparable health insurance coverage when they change their employment or relationships. It also creates the authority to mandate the use of standards for the electronic exchange of health care data; to specify what medical and administrative code sets should be used within those standards; to require the use of national identification systems for health care patients, providers, payers (or plans), and employers (or sponsors); and to specify the types of measures required to protect the security and privacy of personally identifiable health care. Health maintenance organizations (hmos) Health maintenance organizations represent “pre-paid” or “capitated” insurance plans in which individuals or their employers pay a fixed monthly fee for services instead of a separate charge for each visit or service. The monthly fees remain the same, regardless of types or levels of services provided. Services are provided by physicians who are employed by, or under contract with, the HMO. HMOs vary in design. Depending on the type of the HMO, services may be provided in a central facility, or in a physician’s own office (as with IPAs.) In-network In-network refers to providers or health care facilities that are part of a health plan’s network of providers with which it has negotiated a discount. Insured individuals usually pay less when using an in-network provider, because those networks provide services at lower cost to the insurance companies with which they have contracts. Indemnity health plan Indemnity health insurance plans are also called “fee-for-service.” These are the types of plans that primarily existed before the rise of HMOs, IPAs, and PPOs. With indemnity plans, the individual pays a pre-determined percentage of the cost of health care services, and the insurance company (or self-insured employer) pays the other percentage. For example, an individual might pay 20 percent for services and the insurance company pays 80 percent. The fees for services are defined by the providers and vary from physician to physician. Indemnity health plans offer individuals the freedom to choose their health care professionals. Independent practice associations IPAs are similar to HMOs, except that individuals receive care in a physician’s own office, rather than in an HMO facility. Individual affordability credits Individual affordability credits are included in the health reform legislation to help ensure the goals of the legislation’s individual mandate. Legislation provides premium subsidies on a sliding scale to eligible individuals and families with incomes up to four times the federal poverty level to help them purchase coverage through the health insurance exchanges. Individual health insurance Health insurance coverage on an individual, not group, basis. The premium is usually higher for an individual health insurance plan than for a group policy, but you may not qualify for a group plan. Read more about individual health insurance. Read recent news articles about individual health insurance. Individual mandate The individual mandate provision of the recently passed health reform legislation requires citizens to have insurance coverage that meets minimum standards set as part of health insurance exchanges, including guaranteed access to affordable coverage, essential benefits and other consumer protections. The legislation imposes a tax penalty on individuals – with some exceptions – who do not purchase coverage. Individual subsidies Individual subsidies – or individual affordability credits – are included in the health reform legislation to help ensure the goals of the legislation’s individual mandate. Legislation provides premium subsidies on a sliding scale to eligible individuals and families with incomes up to four times the federal poverty level to help them purchase coverage through the health insurance exchanges. Insurance cooperatives Cooperatives or insurance cooperatives were proposed in the Senate as an alternative to a proposed government plan or public option. The cooperatives, which would have been structured as non-profits and owned by their members, would offer a network of health care providers or contract out for medical services. The concept championed by some Democrats would provide “seed money” for the cooperatives, which would then be sustained by customer premiums. Read this Commonwealth Fund history of health cooperatives Insurance exchange A health insurance exchange mechanism is a key provision of health reform legislation, established to provide a selection of competing providers, each offering different qualified plans. All qualified plans must meet standards established and enforced by the Health Choices Administration. For instance, participating plans will not be allowed to discriminate against applicants based on health history (pre-existing conditions) or future risk. Competition between the plan providers would, in theory, encourage the providers to improve the quality and pricing of offered plans. Length of stay (los) LOS refers to the length of stay. It is a term used by insurance companies, case managers and/or employers to describe the amount of time an individual stays in a hospital or in-patient facility. Lifetime maximum benefit (or maximum lifetime benefit) the maximum amount a health plan will pay in benefits to an insured individual during that individual’s lifetime. Limitations A limit on the amount of benefits paid out for a particular covered expense, as disclosed on the Certificate of Insurance. Long-term care policy Insurance policies that cover specified services for a specified period of time. Long-term care policies (and their prices) vary significantly. Covered services often include nursing care, home health care services, and custodial care. Long-term disability insurance Pays an insured a percentage of their monthly earnings if they become disabled. Managed care A medical delivery system that attempts to manage the quality and cost of medical services that individuals receive. Most managed care systems offer HMOs and PPOs that individuals are encouraged to use for their health care services. Some managed care plans attempt to improve health quality, by emphasizing prevention of disease. Recent statistics show that about 90 percent of the insured populations uses some form of managed care. Maximum dollar limit The maximum amount of money that an insurance company (or self-insured company) will pay for claims within a specific time period. Maximum dollar limits vary greatly. They may be based on or specified in terms of types of illnesses or types of services. Sometimes they are specified in terms of lifetime, sometimes for a year. Medicaid Medicaid is a health insurance program for low-income individuals who cannot otherwise afford Medicare or other commercial health insurance plans. Medicaid is funded in part by the government and by the state where the enrollee lives. Learn more about Medicare benefits and eligibility. Medical underwriting Medical underwriting is a process used by insurance companies to evaluate whether to accept an applicant for health coverage and/or to determine the premium rate for the policy. Medicare Medicare is the federal health insurance program created to provide health coverage for Americans aged 65 and older and later expanded to cover younger people who have permanent disabilities or who have been diagnosed with end-stage renal disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Learn more about Medicare benefits and eligibility. Medigap insurance policies Medigap plans offer supplemental benefits sold by private companies to extend traditional Medicare. Fifteen plans offer varying combinations of benefits, ranging from coverage of copayments and deductibles to coverage of foreign travel emergency expenses, at-home care and preventive care. Learn more about Medicare benefits and eligibility. Multiple employer trust (met) A trust consisting of multiple small employers in the same industry, formed for the purpose of purchasing group health insurance or establishing a self-funded plan at a lower cost than would be available to each of the employers individually. Network A group of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers contracted to provide services to insurance companies customers for less than their usual fees. Provider networks can cover a large geographic market or a wide range of health care services. Insured individuals typically pay less for using a network provider. Non-profit cooperatives Non-profit cooperatives or insurance cooperatives have been proposed in the Senate as an alternative to a proposed government plan. The cooperatives, which would be structured as non-profits and owned by their members, could offer a network of health care providers or contract out for medical services. The concept championed by some Democrats would provide “seed money” for the cooperatives, which would then be sustained by customer premiums. Read more about insurance cooperatives. Open-ended hmos HMOs which allow enrolled individuals to use out-of-plan providers and still receive partial or full coverage and payment for the professional’s services under a traditional indemnity plan. Out-of-plan (out-of-network) This phrase usually refers to physicians, hospitals or other health care providers who are considered nonparticipants in an insurance plan (usually an HMO or PPO). Depending on an individual’s health insurance plan, expenses incurred by services provided by out-of-plan health professionals may not be covered, or covered only in part by an individual’s insurance company. Out-of-pocket maximum A predetermined limited amount of money that an individual must pay out of their own savings, before an insurance company or (self-insured employer) will pay 100 percent for an individual’s health care expenses. Outpatient An individual (patient) who receives health care services (such as surgery) on an outpatient basis, meaning they do not stay overnight in a hospital or inpatient facility. Many insurance companies have identified a list of tests and procedures (including surgery) that will not be covered (paid for) unless they are performed on an outpatient basis. The term outpatient is also used synonymously with ambulatory to describe health care facilities where procedures are performed. Patient protection and affordable care act (HIPAA) The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) – also known as the Affordable Care Act or ACA – is the landmark health reform legislation passed by the 111th Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in March 2010. The legislation includes a long list of health-related provisions that began taking effect in 2010 and will “continue to be rolled out over the next four years.” Key provisions are intended to extend coverage to millions of uninsured Americans, to implement measures that will lower health care costs and improve system efficiency, and to eliminate industry practices that include rescission and denial of coverage due to pre-existing conditions. Plan administration Supervising the details and routine activities of installing and running a health plan, such as answering questions, enrolling individuals, billing and collecting premiums, and similar duties. Pre-admission certification Also called pre-certification review, or pre-admission review. Approval by a case manager or insurance company representative (usually a nurse) for a person to be admitted to a hospital or in-patient facility, granted prior to the admittance. Pre-admission certification often must be obtained by the individual. Sometimes, however, physicians will contact the appropriate individual. The goal of pre-admission certification is to ensure that individuals are not exposed to inappropriate health care services (services that are medically unnecessary). Pre-admission review A review of an individual’s health care status or condition, prior to an individual being admitted to an inpatient health care facility, such as a hospital. Pre-admission reviews are often conducted by case managers or insurance company representatives (usually nurses) in cooperation with the individual, his or her physician or health care provider, and hospitals. Pre-existing condition A pre-existing condition is a medical condition that is excluded from coverage by an insurance company because the condition was believed to exist prior to the individual obtaining a policy from the particular insurance company. Preadmission testing Medical tests that are completed for an individual prior to being admitted to a hospital or inpatient health care facility. Preferred provider organization (PPO) A preferred provider organization (PPO) is a managed care organization of health providers who contract with an insurer or third-party administrator (TPA) to provide health insurance coverage to policy holders represented by the insurer or TPA. Policy holders receive substantial discounts from health care providers who are partnered with the PPO. If policy holders use a physician outside the PPO plan, they typically pay more for the medical care. Primary care provider (PCP) A health care professional (usually a physician) who is responsible for monitoring an individual’s overall health care needs. Typically, a PCP serves as a “quarterback” for an individual’s medical care, referring the individual to more specialized physicians for specialist care. Private health insurance Private health insurance – insurance plans marketed by the private health insurance industry – currently dominates the U.S. health care landscape, with approximately two-thirds of the non-elderly population covered by private health insurance. Coverage includes policies obtained through employer-sponsored insurance, with approximately 62 percent of non-elderly Americans receiving insurance provided as a benefit of employment. Another 5 percent of the non-elderly group bought coverage outside of the workplace on the individual health insurance Provider Provider is a term used for health professionals who provide health care services. Sometimes, the term refers only to physicians. Often, however, the term also refers to other health care professionals such as hospitals, nurse practitioners, chiropractors, physical therapists, and others offering specialized health care services. Public option A public option – also referred to as a public plan – was a proposal within the recently passed health reform legislation that would have created a qualified health benefit plan to compete with other plans that qualify for health insurance exchanges. The public option, which ultimately was omitted from the final Affordable Care Act, would have been subject to the same requirements – regarding benefit levels, provider networks, consumer protections and cost sharing – that would apply to other plans within the exchanges. Public plan A public plan – also referred to as a public option – was a proposal within the recently passed health reform legislation that would have created a qualified health benefit plan to compete with other plans that qualify for health insurance exchanges. The public plan, which ultimately was omitted from the passed Affordable Care Act, would have been subject to the same requirements – regarding benefit levels, provider networks, consumer protections and cost sharing – that would apply to other plans within the exchanges. Rationing Rationing – actually the threat of rationing – is one of the most powerful arguments leveled against proposals for an expanded government control of the U.S. health care system. Critics of such expanded control – which might take the form of a public plan or public option – argue that in order to control costs in a revamped system, the government would have to restrict (or ration) care, by refusing to pay for certain procedures or medication or by putting limits on care for the elderly or terminally ill. Some proponents of increased government control argue that health care is already, in effect, rationed in the United States, as consumers are limited in their ability to get adequate health insurance – and health care – by rapidly climbing health care costs. Reasonable and customary fees The average fee charged by a particular type of health care practitioner within a geographic area. The term is often used by medical plans as the amount of money they will approve for a specific test or procedure. If the fees are higher than the approved amount, the individual receiving the service is responsible for paying the difference. Sometimes, however, if an individual questions his or her physician about the fee, the provider will reduce the charge to the amount that the insurance company has defined as reasonable and customary. Rescission Rescission is an insurance industry practice in which an insurer takes action retroactively to cancel a policy holder’s coverage by citing omissions or errors in the customer’s application, even if the policy holder has been diligently keeping their policy current. As of September 2010, rescission is no longer allowed except where fraud is proven. Related term: pre-existing condition Rider A modification made to a Certificate of Insurance regarding the clauses and provisions of a policy (usually adding or excluding coverage). Risk The chance of loss, the degree of probability of loss or the amount of possible loss to the insuring company. For an individual, risk represents such probabilities as the likelihood of surgical complications, medications’ side effects, exposure to infection, or the chance of suffering a medical problem because of a lifestyle or other choice. For example, an individual increases his or her risk of getting cancer if he or she chooses to smoke cigarettes. Second opinion It is a medical opinion provided by a second physician or medical expert, when one physician provides a diagnosis or recommends surgery to an individual. Individuals are encouraged to obtain second opinions whenever a physician recommends surgery or presents an individual with a serious medical diagnosis. Second surgical opinion These are now standard benefits in many health insurance plans. It is an opinion provided by a second physician, when one physician recommends surgery to an individual. Short-term disability An injury or illness that keeps a person from working for a short time. The definition of short-term disability (and the time period over which coverage extends) differs among insurance companies and employers. Short-term disability insurance coverage is designed to protect an individual’s full or partial wages during a time of injury or illness (that is not work-related) that would prohibit the individual from working. Short-term health insurance Short-term major medical health insurance policies were designed to provide coverage for individuals who need temporary health insurance coverage for a short period of time, usually from 30 days to six months. The policies – offered by private health insurance companies – are intended to provide a safety net in the event of a health crisis that might otherwise cause a serious financial hardship. Single-payer system Single-payer system is a health care system in which one entity – a single payer – collects all health care fees and pays for all health care costs. Proponents of a single-payer system argue that because there are fewer entities involved in the health care system, the system can avoid an enormous amount of administrative waste. Instead, all health care providers in a single-payer system would bill one entity for their services. Within a single-payer system, all citizens would receive high-quality, comprehensive medical care PLUS the freedom to choose providers. Paperwork would be dramatically reduced with the elimination of bills, co-pays and deductibles. A single-payer system – like the system in Canada – is NOT socialized medicine. Read more about the difference between a single-payer system and socialized medicine. Small business health care tax credits Employer tax credits – or Small Business Health Care Tax Credits – provide a tax credit of up to 35 percent of small business premium costs in 2010 – with that rate increasing to 50 percent in 2014. Who’s eligible? Employers with fewer than 25 full-time workers and average annual wages less than $50,000. Read more about the credit. Small employer group Generally means groups with 1-99 employees. The definition may vary between states. Socialized medicine Socialized medicine is, by definition, a health care system in which the government owns and operates health care facilities and employs the health care professionals, thus also paying for all health care services. Examples abroad include the British National Health Service, and national health systems in countries such as Finland and Spain, but NOT including Canada’s Medicare system (which is publicly funded but which does not own all of the health facilities). Closer to home, the Veterans Health Administration is, as one author points out, “actually socialized medicine, where the government owns the hospitals and employs the doctors.” Read more about the difference between a single-payer system and socialized medicine. Learn more about the U.S. Medicare system and its history. state mandated benefits When a state passes laws requiring that health insurance plans include specific benefits. Stop-loss The dollar amount of claims filed for eligible expenses at which point you’ve paid 100 percent of your out-of-pocket and the insurance begins to pay at 100 percent. Stop-loss is reached when an insured individual has paid the deductible and reached the out-of-pocket maximum amount of co-insurance. Student health insurance In recent years, many colleges have begun requiring proof of health insurance for students. Coverage options include insurance through family policies and coverage through school-sponsored student health plans, now offered by more than 80 percent of public four-year colleges. Students may also seek coverage through an employer’s plan if they’re employed full time, or they can purchase their own individual health insurance plan from a licensed health insurance provider. And, depending on the state in which a student resides, the student may also be eligible for coverage by a state-sponsored risk pool, a program that provides coverage for individuals denied insurance by private insurers because of their health condition. Read more about student health insurance. Read recent news articles about student health insurance. Subsidies
Individual subsidies – or individual affordability credits – are included in the health reform legislation to help ensure the goals of the legislation’s individual mandate. Legislation provides premium subsidies on a sliding scale to eligible individuals and families with incomes up to four times the federal poverty level to help them purchase coverage through the health insurance exchanges. Underwriter The company that assumes responsibility for the risk, issues insurance policies and receives premiums. Usual, customary and reasonable (ucr) or covered expenses An amount customarily charged for or covered for similar services and supplies which are medically necessary, recommended by a doctor, or required for treatment. Waiting period Waiting periods were among the fears vocalized by opponents of single-payer health care systems. Critics of single-payer systems in countries such as Canada cite lengthy waits for some elective surgeries. Proponents of single-payer systems note that a high percentage of Americans already are being unable to obtain medical care – including medication, testing and treatment – because of costs, while a much smaller percentage of residents in single-payer systems report that costs had limited their access to care.
|
南京玄武区玄武大道699-18号创业社区27幢3楼 电话：025-85553968 025-85553958 邮箱：market@mediv.com.cn 微信号：NJ-MEDIV 苏ICP备11083608号-1 技术支持： 小巨人