Medical Assisting Chapter 1 Key Terms

accreditation

accreditation

A formal recognition process by which an institution or program is evaluated against established standards to ensure quality and effectiveness. This process typically involves peer review and can enhance credibility, improve educational quality, and facilitate student transfer and financial aid eligibility.

Affordable Care Act ( ACA )

A comprehensive health care reform law enacted in 2010 aimed at increasing health insurance coverage, reducing costs, and improving health care quality. It includes provisions for expanding Medicaid, establishing health insurance marketplaces, and mandates for individuals to have insurance. Key features also involve protections for pre-existing conditions and allowing young adults to stay on their parents' insurance until age 26.

ambulatory care setting

A healthcare environment where patients receive medical services without being admitted to a hospital. This setting includes clinics, outpatient departments, and urgent care centers, focusing on preventive care, diagnosis, and treatment for various conditions, allowing patients to return home the same day. It emphasizes convenience, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness in healthcare delivery.

associate’s degree

two-year post-secondary educational credential often awarded by community colleges?

attributes

Characteristics or qualities that define an object, person, or concept. They can include physical traits, behaviors, or features that help distinguish one entity from another. In programming, they often refer to properties of an object or data structure.

bachelor’s degree

four years educaiton @ college post-secondary

certification

the process that validates a professional's knowledge and skills in a specific field

Certified Clinical Medical Assistant ( CCMA [NHA] )

demonstrates proficiency in clinical and administrative tasks in a healthcare setting, focusing on patient care, medical procedures, and office management

Certified Medical Administrative Assistant ( CMAA [NHA] )

Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) is a credential awarded by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) that validates skills in managing medical office operations, ensuring compliance, and supporting healthcare teams.

Certified Medical Assistant

MA that passed an exam that grants them the title “Certified Medical Assistant”

competency

: possession of sufficient knowledge or skill, able to replicate it on a consistent schedule

compliance

conformity in fulfilling official requirements

credentialed

to furnish with credentials

dexterity

readiness and grace in physical activity

especially : skill and ease in using the hands

diploma

a document bearing record of graduation from or of a degree conferred by an educational institution

Disposition

the tendency of something to act in a certain manner under given circumstances

empathy

the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another

externship

a training program that is part of a course of study of an educational institution and is taken in private business

facilitate

to help bring (something) about

improvise

to make or fabricate out of what is conveniently on hand

internship

an advanced student or graduate usually in a professional field (such as medicine or teaching) gaining supervised practical experience (as in a hospital or classroom)

license

a permission granted by competent authority to engage in a business or occupation or in an activity otherwise unlawful

licensure

the granting of licenses especially to practice a profession

practicum

a course of study designed especially for the preparation of teachers and clinicians that involves the supervised practical application of previously studied theory

professionalism

the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person

proprietary

: privately owned and managed and run as a profit-making organization

scope of practice

refers to those activities that a person licensed to practice as a health professional is permitted to perform, which is increasingly determined by statutes enacted by state legislatures and by rules adopted by the appropriate licensing entity.

Registered Medical Assistant

This professional performs clinical and administrative tasks to support physicians and patients. Responsibilities include taking medical histories, assisting with examinations, scheduling appointments, and managing patient records. Requires certification and training, often obtained through vocational programs or community colleges. Essential skills include communication, organization, and basic clinical knowledge.