Video Notes Flashcards: History of Medicine and Healthcare Systems

This set of flashcards covers key historical milestones in medicine, major figures and discoveries, the development of healthcare systems, and common types of healthcare facilities and services as discussed in the video notes.

What traditional Chinese medical technique involves inserting small needles into skin and muscle to treat disease and pain?

Acupuncture.

Which civilization is credited with early pulse diagnosis as a diagnostic method?

China.

Ancient Egypt contributed to medicine by beginning medical examinations and introducing the concept of prognosis. True or false?

True.

What public works did ancient Greece create to provide clean water and remove wastes from cities?

Aqueducts and sewers.

What did Hippocrates argue about the causes of disease?

Diseases are caused naturally by environmental factors, diet, and living habits.

Who is generally considered the father of Western medicine and author of the Hippocratic Oath?

Hippocrates.

Name three surgical instruments that were invented by ancient surgeons.

Forceps, scalpel, and surgical needle.

In the Middle Ages, what roles did barber-surgeons perform besides cutting hair?

Surgery and dentistry; they also performed bloodletting.

What do the colors on the barber pole symbolize?

Red for blood, white for bandages, and blue for veins; the pole represents dilated veins.

Which bacterium causes the bubonic plague?

Yersinia pestis.

Approximately what percentage of Europe’s population died during the Black Death, and how many people died overall?

About 25 million people; roughly 30–60% of the population.

How can the bubonic plague be effectively treated today?

Antibiotics, to destroy the bacterium.

Who introduced vaccination during the Industrial Revolution?

Edward Jenner.

Who championed handwashing among physicians to reduce infections during childbirth?

Ignaz Semmelweis.

Who is considered the father of antiseptic surgery?

Joseph Lister.

Which scientist helped establish the germ theory of disease and antisepsis?

Louis Pasteur.

Who discovered penicillin?

Alexander Fleming.

Who invented X-ray technology?

Wilhelm Roentgen.

Who developed the electrocardiogram (EKG)?

Willem Einthoven.

Which scientists discovered the elements radium and polonium?

Marie and Pierre Curie.

Who discovered insulin and its use in treating diabetes?

Frederick Banting (with Charles Best; Banting is commonly credited).

Who are credited with discovering the structure of DNA?

James Watson and Francis Crick (with contributions from Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin).

Who invented the first heart-lung machine?

John Gibbon.

Who performed the first successful kidney transplant?

John P. Merrill.

What health condition is abbreviated as PTSD, and when did it become a formal focus in mental health care?

Post-traumatic stress disorder; became a formal focus after the World Wars.

Who developed psychoanalysis as a method of treating emotional disorders?

Sigmund Freud.

What gene mutation is associated with a higher risk of breast and/or ovarian cancer?

BRCA gene mutation.

What is the Affordable Care Act (ACA) also commonly known as?

Obamacare.

What is Medicare?

Federal health insurance for people 65 or older and certain disabled individuals.

What is Medicaid?

A joint federal-state program that provides medical aid for low-income individuals.

What is TRICARE?

A government health insurance program for active duty military members, retirees, and their families.

What is the difference between HMOs and PPOs in private managed care plans?

HMOs require a primary care physician and referrals to specialists; PPOs allow self-referral and usually have more flexibility, often with higher costs.

What does the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) focus on?

Disease outbreaks and prevention.

What does OSHA stand for and what is its purpose?

Occupational Safety and Health Administration; to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses.

What is the primary role of the FDA?

Regulates products (including drugs and tobacco) and develops nutrition labeling to inform consumers.

What is the NIH?

National Institutes of Health; the world’s leading agency for medical research.

What is the WHO?

World Health Organization; UN agency responsible for international public health, sets standards, and guides global health efforts.

Name a few examples of volunteer health agencies.

American Cancer Society; Muscular Dystrophy Association; National Alliance on Mental Illness; American Red Cross.

What are nonprofit (charity) hospitals?

Hospitals that are nonprofit and tax-exempt, often focused on community benefit rather than profit.

What is an acute care hospital?

A hospital that provides short-term treatment for severe or urgent medical conditions, typically with an emergency department.

What is hospice care?

Care that focuses on relieving symptoms and comfort for a terminal illness, rather than curing the disease.

How often do patients typically visit a kidney dialysis center for treatment?

3 to 4 times per week.

What is a walk-in clinic?

A clinic that accepts patients without an appointment, often located in stores or pharmacies.

What does patient confidentiality mean in healthcare?

Protecting the privacy of a patient’s health information.

What does self-advocacy mean for a patient?

The ability to effectively communicate, negotiate, and assert one’s own health needs and rights.