MED100 Medical Office Management Midterm Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering interpersonal skills, legal issues, communication techniques, documentation, scheduling, and professionalism for medical office management.

Interpersonal Skills

The ability to communicate and interact effectively with other people, including verbal communication, active listening, empathy, and professional conduct in healthcare.

Communication

The exchange of information between a sender and a receiver requiring a clear message, an appropriate channel, and feedback.

Verbal Communication

Communication that uses spoken or written words to convey a message.

Nonverbal Communication

Messages conveyed through body language, facial expressions, posture, gestures, eye contact, and tone of voice.

Active Listening

A communication skill involving fully focusing on the speaker, interpreting verbal and nonverbal messages, and responding thoughtfully by restating the message.

Empathy

The ability to understand and share the feelings of another person; feeling 'with' someone rather than 'for' someone.

Sympathy

Feeling pity or sorrow for someone else's situation; distinguished from empathy as feeling 'for' someone.

Therapeutic Communication

Purposeful, patient-centered communication techniques used by healthcare professionals to support patient well-being and gather accurate information.

Open-Ended Questions

Questions that require more than a yes or no answer and encourage the patient to share information, such as 'How have you been feeling lately?'

Closed-Ended Questions

Questions that can be answered with a single word or phrase, useful for gathering specific facts like 'Are you allergic to penicillin?'

Feedback

The receiver's response to a message that completes the communication cycle by confirming whether the message was understood.

Body Language

Nonverbal communication including posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact that can reinforce or contradict spoken words.

Proxemics

The study of personal space and how distance affects communication in healthcare settings.

Encoding

The process by which the sender translates thoughts and feelings into a message that can be transmitted.

Decoding

The process by which the receiver interprets and makes meaning from the message received.

Bias

A personal preference or prejudice that can influence judgment and must be recognized by healthcare workers to provide equitable care.

Stereotyping

Applying a generalized belief about a group to an individual without considering unique characteristics.

Cultural Humility

A lifelong process of self-reflection and learning about other cultures that acknowledges power imbalances in healthcare.

Personality

The unique combination of characteristics and traits defining an individual's consistent patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

Introverted

A personality type that draws energy from being alone and tends to be more reserved and reflective.

Extroverted

A personality type that draws energy from social interaction and tends to be outgoing and expressive.

Defense Mechanism

An unconscious psychological strategy used to protect the mind from anxiety, conflict, or uncomfortable emotions.

Denial

A defense mechanism in which a person refuses to acknowledge a painful reality.

Projection

A defense mechanism in which a person attributes their own unacceptable feelings to others.

Rationalization

A defense mechanism in which a person creates logical-sounding justifications for unacceptable behavior or feelings.

Regression

A defense mechanism in which a person reverts to behaviors from an earlier stage of development when under stress.

Displacement

A defense mechanism in which emotions are redirected from the original source to a safer substitute.

Repression

A defense mechanism in which distressing thoughts or feelings are unconsciously pushed out of conscious awareness.

Sublimation

A defense mechanism in which unacceptable impulses are redirected into socially acceptable behaviors.

Coping Mechanisms

Conscious or unconscious strategies people use to manage stress and difficult emotions, ranging from healthy to unhealthy.

Physiological Needs

The most basic survival needs in Maslow's hierarchy, including food, water, air, sleep, shelter, and warmth.

Safety Needs

The need for security, stability, and freedom from fear, including physical safety, financial security, and health.

Love & Belonging Needs

The need for friendship, intimacy, family connection, and belonging to a social group.

Esteem Needs

The need for self-respect, achievement, recognition, competence, and status.

Cognitive Needs

The desire for knowledge, curiosity, exploration, and understanding in Maslow's expanded $8$-level theory.

Aesthetic Needs

The need for beauty, order, balance, and appreciation of art and nature.

Self-Actualization

The desire to reach one's full potential; the highest need in the original $5$-level Maslow theory.

Transcendence Needs

The highest level in the expanded Maslow theory involving spiritual fulfillment beyond the self and helping others.

Deficiency Needs

The lower four levels of Maslow's hierarchy (physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem) that must be met for basic survival.

Growth Needs

The higher levels of Maslow's hierarchy related to personal development and long-lasting happiness.

Trust vs. Mistrust

Erikson's stage from ages $0–18$ months where infants learn to trust consistent caregivers.

Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt

Erikson's stage from $18$ months to $3$ years where toddlers develop independence; restricted children may develop self-doubt.

Initiative vs. Guilt

Erikson's stage for preschool-aged children ($3–5$ years) who begin asserting control through play.

Industry vs. Inferiority

Erikson's stage for school-age children ($6–12$ years) developing competence through learning and social activities.

Identity vs. Role Confusion

Erikson's stage for adolescents ($12–18$ years) exploring identity, values, and life direction.

Intimacy vs. Isolation

Erikson's stage for young adults seeking meaningful relationships and commitment.

Generativity vs. Stagnation

Erikson's stage for middle adults focusing on contributing to society and raising the next generation.

Integrity vs. Despair

Erikson's stage for late adults reflecting on life's meaning and dealing with regret.

Ethics

A system of principles governing appropriate conduct within a profession or society.

Morals

An individual's personal beliefs about right and wrong shaped by upbringing and experience.

Personal Ethics

An individual's own internal code of conduct that guides personal behavior.

Professional Ethics

Standards of behavior expected within a profession governing patient care, confidentiality, and honesty.

Bioethics

The branch of ethics dealing with medical/biological research and applications such as end-of-life care and organ donation.

Informed Consent

A patient's voluntary agreement to treatment after receiving information about risks, benefits, and alternatives.

Autonomy

A patient's right to make their own healthcare decisions without coercion.

Beneficence

The ethical duty to act in the patient's best interest and promote well-being.

Nonmaleficence

The ethical duty to do no harm, known as 'primum non nocere'.

Justice

The ethical principle of treating all patients fairly and equitably.

Veracity

The duty to be truthful and honest with patients at all times.

Fidelity

The duty to keep promises and follow through on commitments made to patients.

Civil Law

Law governing disputes between private individuals or organizations, including most medical malpractice cases.

Criminal Law

Law defining crimes against society (e.g., fraud) and prescribing punishments.

Tort

A wrongful act (not a crime) causing harm to another person and creating legal liability.

Negligence

An unintentional tort where a healthcare provider fails to meet the standard of care, resulting in harm.

Malpractice

Professional negligence occurring when a professional fails to perform duties competently, causing patient harm.

Standard of Care

The level of skill and care a reasonably competent provider in a similar specialty would provide under the same circumstances.

Reasonable Person Standard

A legal test asking what a reasonable, prudent person would do in the same situation.

Scope of Practice ,nkjjiojiojs are we still going on a date or time

Procedures and actions a healthcare worker is legally permitted to perform based on education, training, and licensure.

Respondeat Superior

A legal doctrine meaning 'let the master answer,' making the employer responsible for employees' wrongful acts within the scope of employment.

Res Ipsa Loquitur

Meaning 'the thing speaks for itself'; used when negligence is so obvious it does not need proof.

Res Judicata

Meaning 'the matter has been decided'; prevents the relitigation of a final court judgment by the same parties.

Subpoena Duces Tecum

A court order requiring the production of specific documents or evidence, such as medical records.

Fraud

Intentional deception for financial or personal gain, such as billing for services not provided.

Tortfeasor

The person who commits a tort and is held legally liable for resulting harm.

Statute of Limitations

The specific time period within which a lawsuit must be filed.

Plaintiff

The person who files a lawsuit, typically the patient in medical cases.

Defendant

The person being sued, typically the provider or healthcare organization.

Locum Tenens

A physician who temporarily fills in for another provider, meaning 'placeholder'.

HIPAA

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; establishes standards for protecting patient health information privacy and security.

Privacy Rule (HIPAA)

Individual HIPAA component limiting the use/disclosure of patient health information and granting patients access to their records.

Security Rule (HIPAA)

Standards for protecting electronic patient health information ($ext{ePHI}$).

PHI

Protected Health Information; individually identifiable health information held by a covered entity.

Breach

Unauthorized disclosure of PHI that compromises its security or privacy.

GINA

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act; prohibits genetic discrimination in health insurance and employment.

Healthcare Fraud Statute

Law prohibiting the intentional defrauding of any healthcare benefit program.

False Claims Act

Law imposing liability on individuals submitting false or fraudulent claims to government programs like Medicare/Medicaid.

Federal Anti-Kickback Law

Law prohibiting offering/receiving value to induce referrals for services covered by federal programs.

Stark Law

Law prohibiting physicians from referring patients to entities with which they or family have a financial relationship.

Controlled Substance Act

Federal law regulated by the DEA that organizes drugs into $5$ schedules based on potential for abuse.

Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act

Law enforced by the FDA governing safety and quality of drugs, medical devices, and food.

ADA

Americans with Disabilities Act; prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities.

OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health Administration; sets and enforces workplace safety standards.

Reportable Cases

Conditions including STIs, abuse/neglect, and violence-related injuries that providers must report to government agencies.

HHS Office for Civil Rights

Federal agency enforcing HIPAA privacy and security rules.

Patient Bill of Rights

A document outlining patient rights to respectful care, information, and privacy.

Right to Refuse Treatment

The right of a competent adult to refuse medical treatment, including life-saving procedures.

Advance Directive

A legal document (like a living will) specifying healthcare wishes if a person becomes unable to make decisions.

Healthcare Proxy

A designated person who makes healthcare decisions for a patient unable to do so.

DNR Order

Do Not Resuscitate; a medical order instructing providers not to perform CPR.

Emancipated Minor

A person under $18$ legally treated as an adult who can consent to their own medical care.