CMA: chapter 1-2

ambulatory care

care given without a patient being admitted to a hospital (patient is able to “walk out” or leave after care is complete)

point of care testing

a category of diagnostic test that can be performed at the patient sides. fingerstick blood glucose testing is an example.

inpatient

word used t describe a hospital setting and care provided in a hospital

outpatient

word used to describe medical setting that do not require overnight stays and the care provided in these settings

family practice

a branch of medicine focused on care for the whole family from birth to death.

geriatric medicine

a branch of medicine focused on preventive care and treatment for adults 65 years of age and older.

**Medical doctor (MD)**

Allopathic provider; most widely recognized type of doctor; diagnoses illnesses, provides treatments, performs procedures such as surgical interventions, & writes prescriptions

Osteopathic provider (DO)

Complete requirements similar to MD to graduate & practice medicine; in addition to using modern medicine & surgical procedures, DOs use osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT) in treating their patients

Allopathic

Is homeopathic medicine; involves an effort to counteract the symptoms of a disease by administration of treatments that produce effects opposite to the symptoms

Osteopathic

A type of medicine based on the concept that disturbances in the musculoskeletal system affect other bodily parts, causing many disorders that can be improved by various manipulative methods in combination with conventional medical, surgical, pharmacologic, & other therapeutic procedures

primary care provider

a healthcare practitioner who supervises and coordinates all of a patient’s medical care.

Joint Commission

an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates and accredits healthcare organizations

delegate

to assign appropriate tasks to another person.

chain of command

the line of authority at a facility.

scope of practice

the roles, responsibilities, and procedures that are within the knowledge, training, and legal definition of a profession.

ethics

the knowledge of right and wrong; social guidelines based on moral principles & values

law

a rule or regulation established to help people live peacefully together and to ensure order and safety; has specific penalties set by local, federal, or state government

Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA)

a federal law requiring that medical practices and facilities provide patients with information about advance directives.

advance directive

a legal document that allows people to decide what kind of medical care they wish to have in the event they are unable to make those decisions themselves (can include different forms/ parts)

**living will**

a document that outlines specific medical care/ procedures a person wants or does not want to receive; may list the conditions they would want the provider to do organ & tissue donation, dialysis, blood transfusions, DNR orders, etc.; also known as *directive to physicians*  and *health care directive*

durable power of attorney for health care

a type of advance directive designated a person other than the patient (aka *healthcare agent* or *proxy*) to make medical decisions if the person becomes ill or disabled; agent would decide treatment decisions as the patient; enables patients to be more specific about their medical treatment than a living will

do not resuscitate (DNR)

also indicates to the medical staff not to return the patient’s heart to a normal rhythm if it stops or is beating unevenly (patient does not wish for CPR to be performed in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest)

do not intubate (DNI)

a type of advance directive indicating that the patient does not wish a breathing tube to be inserted to prolong life

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

a federal law that requires health information be kept private and secure and that organizations take special steps to protect this information; gives patients rights over their health info & sets rules & limits on who can look at & receive patients’ private info; applies to PHI, whether electronic, written, or oral

protected health information (PHI)

a person’s private health information, which includes name, address, telephone number, social security number, email address, and medical record number.

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)

a federal law banning discrimination in employment and healthcare coverage based on genetic information.

criminal law

branch of law dealing with offenses considered to harm all of society.

civil law

branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals; includes cases involving ***contracts*** (see next slide) or ***torts*** (see future slides)

compliance

in health care, a patient’s record of following the healthcare treatment plan and keeping appointments.

abandonment

in health care, failure of a practitioner to provide needed care to a patient with whom a patient-practitioner relationship has been established

misdemeanor

An offense that is considered less serious than a felony & carries a lesser penalty, usually a fine or imprisonment for less than 1 year (ex: reckless driving, discharging a firearm in city limits, underage drinking, etc.)

felony

A crime declared by statue to be more serious than a misdemeanor & deserving of a more severe penalty, usually imprisonment greater than 1 year; in extreme cases (murder), penalty can result in death sentence.

standard of care

the professional standard that must be met to deliver safe and effective patient care.

malpractice

in medicine, failure on the part of a provider to meet a professional standard of care; literal meaning is *bad practice*.

Good Samaritan Laws

a law passed to protect individuals from liability when they provide medical aid, usually in an emergency situation.

negligence

actions, or the failure to act or provide the proper care, resulting in unintended injury to a person (will talk about this later with ***torts***)

abuse

purposeful mistreatment that causes physical, mental, or emotional pain or injury to someone.

mandated reporter

person who is legally required to report suspected or observed abuse or neglect because they have regular contact with vulnerable populations.

defendant

a person accused of wrongdoing, against whom a lawsuit is filed (civil) or charges made (criminal).

deposition

a statement given under oath to be used as evidence in a lawsuit. mediation settlement of a lawsuit using a qualified person called a mediator to review the case and negotiate the outcome.

plaintiff

a person who makes a charge of wrongdoing in court; the plaintiff has the burden of proof, or the responsibility to show that the defendant is liable for damages.

subpoena

a legal document that commands a person to appear in court to testify (*subpoena ad testificandum*) or to provide records or documents (*subpoena duces tecum*).

tort

an action that wrongly causes harm to an individual but is not a crime

Malfeasance

***performance of an unlawful, wrongful act; (ex: performing a procedure on the wrong patient)***

Misfeasance

***performance of a lawful action in an illegal or improper manner; (ex: performing the procedure on the correct patient, but doing so incorrectly)***

Nonfeasance

***failure to perform a task, duty, or undertaking that one has agreed to perform or has a legal duty to perform (ex: waiting to treat a patient until it is too late)***

informed consent

active, conscious acknowledgement that a person understands treatment they will receive and agrees to receive it (ex: signing consent forms prior to a procedure)

assault

the use of words or actions to cause another person to feel fearful of being harmed.

battery

the intentional touching of another person without permission.

emancipated minors

a person under 18 years of age who has been legally declared independent.

mature minors

in health care, a person under the age of 18 who is legally considered able to make routine healthcare decisions independently; mature minor laws vary by state.

implied consent

the assumption that a person agrees to treatment or to a procedure; allows medical treatment to be provided in emergency situations, for example, even if the patient is not able to express, informed consent; example: a patient rolling up their sleeve to give blood

fraudulent

Relating to actions that purposely intend to deceive

neglect

failure to provide needed care that results in physical, mental, or emotional harm to a person.

conflict of interest

a situation in which a person’s personal interests may interfere with their professional judgment or actions.