Dynamics of Healthcare Chapter 8 Key Terms A-Z and Study Points

Abuse

A pattern of practices or customs that are unsound or inconsistent with ethical, business, fiscal, or healthcare practices or customs.

Accreditation

The process by which an external entity reviews an organization or program of study to determine if the organization or program meets certain predetermined standards.

Anatomy

The study of the structure of organisms and their parts.

Career Development

An organized planning method used to form an individual's work identity.

Certification

The process or action of providing an individual with an official document attesting to their status or level of achievement.

Code of ethics

A written list of profession's values and standards of conduct.

Communication

The sharing of information between two or more people as a way to convey meaning.

Confidentiality

The obligation of healthcare providers to not disseminate patient information beyond proper channels.

Conflict of Interest

A clash between an individual's selfish interests and his or her obligations beyond proper channels.

Conflicts

Serious disagreements or arguments.

Continuing Education

The process by which a professional seeks recurrent learning activities and training beyond the initial license or certificate.

Disparagement

The action of belittling or criticizing the skills, knowledge, or qualifications of another professional.

Documentation

The process of entering a description of a patient's history, condition, diagnostic, and therapeutic treatment, and results of treatment.

Ethics

The formal study of moral choices that conform to standards of conduct.

Fraud

The intentional deception of another person to that person's detriment.

Health Record

An ordered set of documents or a collection of data that contains a complete and accurate description of a patient's history, condition, diagnostic, and therapeutic treatment, and results of treatment.

Health Team

A team of health personnel, each with a specialized function, brought together in accordance with the needs of the client and his or her family.

Healthy Behavior

An action taken to attain, maintain, or regain good health and to prevent illness.

Infection Control

A discipline focusing on preventing the spread of healthcare-associated diseases.

Licensing

A right conferred by a government body to practice an occupation or provide a service.

Malpractice

Professional misconduct.

Medical Math

The application of mathematical computations related to healthcare procedures.

Medical Terminology

Specialized terminology used in medicine that allows healthcare providers to communicate specific details of a patient's condition in a precise manner.

Negligence

The failure to do something that a reasonably prudent person would do in the same or similar situation; alternatively, doing something that a reasonably prudent person would not do in the same or similar situation.

Physiology

The study of how organisms and their body parts carry out the normal physical functions and allow them to exist.

Professional

An individual with specialized learning engaged in a specified activity as an occupation.

Professionalism

The conduct, character, skills, and judgment of a trained person.

What does career development in healthcare encompass?

It stretches beyond what is needed initially to enter into a healthcare profession.

What is included in the training for healthcare students?

Similarities across disciplines, referred to as a common core of knowledge.

What demonstrates professionalism in healthcare professionals?

Acting in an accountable and ethical manner and maintaining composure in adversity.

What is common across virtually every healthcare discipline?

Codes of ethics.

What are the consequences of breaching patient confidentiality?

It damages the relationship with the patient and may violate the law and professional requirements.

How do many healthcare practitioners contribute to patient treatment?

Through health teams.

What is malpractice?

Professional misconduct.

Why is continuing education important in healthcare?

It is an integral part of career development.