vocabulary words and definitions—unit 1 section A (MA)

AAMA

American Association of Medical Assistants

Acute

(of a disease or its symptoms) of short duration but typically severe.

Ambulatory care

refers to medical services performed on an outpatient basis, without administration to a hospital or other facility

CEU

continuing education units

chronic

having an illness persisting for a long time or constantly recurring

credential

a qualification, achievement, personal quality or aspect of a person’s background, typically when used to indicate that they are suitable for something.

empathy

the ability to understand and share the feelings of another

genetics

the study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics.

hippocrates

an ancient Greek physician (the “father of medicine”) who is credited with founding the study of medicine.

holistic

characterized by the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of a disease.

hospice

a special kind of care that focuses on the quality of life for people and their caregivers who are experiencing an advanced…

integrity

the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

internal medicine

is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of internal diseases.

licensure

the granting or regulation of licenses, as for professionals.

medical practice act

the right to practice medicine is a privilege granted by the state.

nonverbal communication

is the transmission of messages or signals through a nonverbal platform such as eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, posture, and body language

oncology

the study and treatment of tumors

pediatrics

is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents.

professionalism

the competence or skill expected of a professional.

projection

an estimate or forecast of a future situation or trend based on a study of present ones.

reciprocity

the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit, especially privileges granted by one country or organization to another.

scope of practice

describes the procedures, actions, and processes that a healthcare practitioner is permitted to undertake in keeping with the terms of their professional license

therapeutic communication

defined as the face-to-face process of interaction that focuses on advancing the physical and emotional well-being of a patient

triage

the assignment of degrees of urgency to wounds or illnesses to decide the order of treatment of a large number of patients or causalities

verbal communication

refers to the production of spoken language to send an intentional message to a listener.