PERIOD 3 - FINAL REVIEW

Affordable Care Act

Healthcare reform legislation to increase access to health insurance while controlling healthcare costs. Signed into law by Barack Obama in March 2010.

health disparities

Wide differences in access to health care or quality of health care based on where one lives as well as income, education level, race, ethnicity, gender expression, or sexual orientation.

social determinants of health

The conditions under which people are born, live, work, and age. Lack of access to stable housing, nutritious food, employment, education, reliable transportation, and personal safety influences access to quality health care.

US Public Health Service

group of agencies that focus on making laws, allocating funds, and doing investigative work to protect the health of all Americans

Categories of Health Care Services

1.   Health Promotion Services

2.   Disease Prevention Services

3.   Diagnosis and Treatment of Illnesses

4.   Rehabilitation and Chronic Care

Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC)

Provides preventative, medical, dental, and mental health services to low-income, minority, and homeless individuals in both urban and rural underserved areas. Centers are qualified to receive reimbursement by Medicare and Medicaid

Centers for Disease Control

branch of the federal government that tracks the health of the nation and provides support to identify causes of epidemics, food borne illness, and other emergencies.

Patient Care Partnership

Expectations for care of hospitalized patients by hospital staff. Expectations are high quality hospital care, clean and safe environment, patient involvement in their own care, protection of patient privacy, help when leaving the hospital, help with billing claims.

ambulatory services

health care provided outside of institutional settings. These settings include medical offices and clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, hospital outpatient departments, and dialysis centers.

mental health services

diagnosis and treatment of patients with mental or emotional illnesses, including abuse of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.

public health specialist

provides individuals and the community with health education and programming

public health care system

focuses on the protection of the environment, including air, food, and water and improvement of community health.

Medicare

Provides health care to those over 65 years of age and those with End Stage Renal Disease (Kidney Failure) and ALS

Diagnostic Related Groups (DRGs)

a set of payment categories that are used to classify patients for the purpose of hospital reimbursement with a fixed fee regardless of the actual cost and that are based on the diagnosis, surgical procedure used, age of the patient, and expected length of stay.

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)

Insurance provider that administers basic and supplemental health maintenance and treatment services to enrollees who pay a fixed fee. It limits consumer choice to health professionals and hospitals that contract with the HMO.

Demographic changes in heatlh

• Demographic shifts are projected in the population with an increase in those over 65 years of age until 2030 when the percentage of those over 85 will increase.

• The population over age 65 will be more ethnically and racially diverse with non-white being the minority by 2050.

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living

complex self-care activities that are used to evaluate independence of disabled persons or older adults; examples are shopping, preparing meals, managing finances, and taking medications as prescribed.

Activities of Daily Living (ADL)

set of key capabilities used to evaluate need for personal care assistance for older adults or disabled persons; includes bathing, dressing, toileting, and self-feeding

long-term services and supports (LTSS)

system of providing health and personal care support for the disabled, elderly, or others with chronic health problems in people’s homes instead of an institution

occupational health and safety specialist

Bachelor’s degree. Analyzes and inspects the work environment to identify practices with potential harm to employees. Designs programs and trains workers to respond to emergencies. Licensure is not required.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

a federal law that required the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge.

Older population diversity

Racial and ethnic diversity is increasing

health literacy

the ability of an individual to obtain, process, and understand health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.

electronic health record (EHR)

individual patient health record stored in a computer database for easy access by physicians and other healthcare workers regardless of the setting- clinic, hospital, nursing home, or emergency care center.

Health Information Technology (Health IT)

Broad concept that encompasses an array of technologies to record, store, retrieve, protect, share, and analyze health information.

healthcare practitioner and technical occupations

professionals who work directly with patients or with patient laboratory samples to identify health status.

health care education

can be obtained by enrolling in vocational schools, 2 or 4 year colleges.

outpatient services

Outpatient service means the rendering of nonemergency health care services to patients who remain in the hospital for less than 24 hours with the appropriate staff, space, equipment, and supplies.

Common core knowledge

shared by health professionals. It involves training in courses such as medical terminology, anatomy and physiology,

professionalism

refers to the conduct, character, skill, and judgment of a trained person.

confidentiality

the obligation of health care providers to not give patient information to other people.

ethics

the formal study of moral choices that conform to standards of conduct.

licensure

The granting of a license by official or legal authority (state) to perform medical acts and procedures not permitted by persons without such a license.

accreditation

the process by with an external entity reviews an organization or program of study to determine if the organization or program meets certain predetermined standards.

certification

the process or action of providing an individual with an official document attesting to their status or level of achievement.

malpractice

professional misconduct.

negligence

the failure to do something that a reasonable prudent person would do in the same or similar situation; alternatively, doing something that a reasonably prudent person would not do in the same or similar situation.

continuing education

the process by which a professional seeks recurrent learning activities and training beyond the initial license or certificate.

physician

diagnose illnesses and prescribe and administer treatment for people suffering from injury or disease. They examine patients, obtain medical histories, and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests. They also counsel patients on preventive health care.

physician assistant

a medical professional who may practice preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic medicine under the supervision of a physician or surgeon. Responsibilities may include taking a medical history, conducting a physical exam, and ordering and interpreting lab tests and X-rays required for making a diagnosis.

psychologist

a professional who gathers, quantifies, analyzes, and interprets data on why people act as they do; and provides insight into varied forms of human behavior and related mental and physical processes.

health education specialist

teach people about behaviors that promote wellness; develop and implement strategies to improve the health of both individuals and community.

athletic trainer

a professional who instructs athletes on correct technique and appropriate conditioning to maximize athletic performance while minimizing risk of injury.

social worker

assist people by helping them cope with and solve issues in their everyday lives, such as family and personal problems and dealing with relationships. They also help clients who face a disability, life-threatening diseases, or social problems, such as inadequate housing, unemployment, or substance abuse.

chiropractor

primary care professional who focuses on patient’s overall health and work to relieve pain, increase mobility, and improve performance.

recreational therapist

practitioner in the field of recreation therapy. uses activity-based interventions to address needs of clients with illnesses or disabilities as a means to psychological and physical health and recovery

radiation therapist

treats disease by exposure of diseased tissue to radiation

medical assistant

performs administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners running smoothly.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

the second level of a four-tier category of emergency medical technician who has more advanced training and can provide the most extensive prehospital care. What they are permitted to do varies by state.

cardiopulmonary technologist

professional who assist the physician in diagnosing and treating both heart and lung ailments.

medical transcriptionist

an allied health professional that deals win the process of transcription or converting voice recorded reports as dictated by physicians and/or other healthcare professionals into text format

massage therapist

uses touch, pressure, and/or manipulation of soft tissues to ease pain or tension and reduce stress.

physical therapist

professional trained to provide services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities.

dental hygienist

a professional who cleans teeth, provides other preventative dental care like sealants, and teaches patients how to practice good oral hygiene.

community health worker (CHW)

provides link between the community and health educators; implements strategies to improve health of individuals and community.

diagnostic medical sonographer

uses sound waves to generate an image for the assessment and diagnosis of various medical conditions.

psychiatric or mental health technician

works as part of a team to provide care and treatment of emotionally or mentally disabled patients.

veterinary technologist/technician

technician who assists in the diagnosis and treatment of animals, usually in an animal hospital or clinic.

trends in healthcare

Death and longevity are cause for concern. life expectancy plateaued at 78 years. Increases in mortality from unintentional injuries, Alzheimer’s disease, suicide, and chronic liver disease contributed to the recent decline in mortality.

1973 Older Americans Act (OAA)

an addition to a program established by US Congress in 1965 to provide resources and supports for the elderly, enacted primarily to create the Area Agency on Aging

telemedicine

the use of electronic communications and information technologies to provide or support clinical care at a distance.

functional team

a type of healthcare team formed to take care of specific problems. Examples included a mental health team or a coronary care team.

patient-centered team

a type of healthcare team that includes patients and their families who are involved in making healthcare decisions together with their doctors and other healthcare professionals.

nursing

treat and educate patients and the public about various medical conditions. they give advice and emotional support to the patient and family members. they record medical histories and symptoms, help perform diagnostic tests and analyze results, operate medical equipment, and administer treatment and medications

dental assistant

a professional who assists dentists by performing a variety of patient care, office, and laboratory duties.

pharmacist

advise health professionals and the public on the proper selection and use of medicines.

optometrist

a medical professional that provides vision care to patients.

occupational therapy

therapy provided to those who are recovering from illness or injury that encourages rehabilitation by performing the activities of daily life.

occupational therapy aide

works under the direction of occupational therapists to provide rehabilitative services to patients suffering from mental, physical, emotional, or developmental impairments. they help patients maintain the skills needed for daily living and working

genetic counselor

a professional who gives information and advice regarding the risk of inherited conditions.

health care manager

Also known as a healthcare administrator or healthcare executive, is responsible for the day to day operations of a medical facility. They oversee the administrative and operational aspects of healthcare facilities to ensure that care is delivered efficiently and effectively to patients

first responder

refers to the first certified person (EMT, police officer, or firefighter) who arrives at the scene of a disaster, accident, or life-threatening medical situation. provides medical assistance.

dosimetrist

a technician who calculates the dose of radiation that will be used for treatment.

vascular technologist

technologist who assists physicians in the diagnosis of disorders affecting the circulation

respiratory therapy

evaluates and treats patients with breathing disorders.

medical librarian

provides quick and efficient access to large volumes of information and materials to keep professional staff and personnel abreast of developments, new procedures and techniques, and other relevant data

clinical medical assistant

a medical assistant who specializes in providing clinical care to patients.

home health aide

direct care worker who works with patients needing long-term care and typically works for certified home health or hospice agencies that receive government funding.

registered dietician nutritionist

dietetic professional that has passed the registration exam after completing academic coursework and supervised clinical practice.

speech-language pathologist

assesses, diagnoses, treats, and helps prevent disorders related to speech, language, cognitive-communication, voice, swallowing, and fluency

medical coder

an individual who uses various classification systems to code, categorize, and report patient information for multiple purposes.

nurse practitioner

advanced practice registered nurses with a master’s or a doctoral degree who have dramatically expanded scope of practice beyond the registered nurse.