Learn: Dynamics of Healthcare Chapter One Vocab

Acute care facility

a health care facility that provides care for patients who have extremely serious, severe or painful conditions that require immediate medical attention

Assisted-living facility

a facility that generally provides housing, group meals, personal care, support services, and social activities in a community setting

Complementary therapies

treatment methods that typically promote healing through nutrition, exercise, or relaxation, sometimes referred to as alternative medicine

Custodial care

non-medical personal care to help individuals meet their basic, everyday needs

Extended care facility

a facility that provides health care and help with the activities of daily living to people who many be physically or mentally unable to care for themselves; this type of care can last days to years

General practitioner

a physician who diagnoses and treats a variety of common health problems

Hippocratic oath

oath written by Hippocrates of Cos that serves as the moral basis for many medical regulations and guidelines still in use today

Home health care

care provided in a patient's home through community health departments, visiting nurses' associations, hospital-based case managers, and home health agencies

Homeopathy

a holistic system of healing that focused on stimulating the body's ability to heal itself by giving very small doses of highly diluted substances

Hospice

a care program focused on reducing pain, symptoms, and stress during the last stage of terminal illnesses

Independent-living facility

a group of apartments or houses for residents who can take care of themselves and are mobile, yet need some help with daily activities, it may offer meals and other social activities in a community setting

Inpatient

a person who remains in an acute care facility, such as a hospital, for more than 24 hours

Interdisciplinary team

a group of healthcare professionals with varied medical educations, backgrounds, and experiences who work together to deliver the best possible care for each patient

Microbiology

the branch of biology that studies micro-organisms and their affects on humans

Outpatient/Ambulatory

a patient who is discharged within 23 hours, but may require ongoing treatment, care, and education

Pandemic

an infectious disease that affect entire continents or even the world

Prognosis

a medical operation about the likely outcome of a condition or disease

Rehabilitation centers

a health care facility that specializes in services for patients needing physical or emotional rehabilitation or treatment of chemical dependency

Sphygmomanometer

a device that is used to measure blood pressure; commonly referred to as a blood pressure cuff

Stethoscope

a device that allows healthcare professionals to listen to the internal sounds of a patient

Subacute care facility

a healthcare facility that fills the gap between hospitalization and rehabilitation by providing care to patients who are stable and don't need acute care, yet more complex than can be found in a nursing or rehabilitation facility

Chronic

a human health condition or disease that is persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects, typically lasting for three months or longer

Acute

a condition that begins suddenly, is usually severe, and lasts for a short time

Specialist

a physician or healthcare professional who has undergone advanced education and clinical training in a specific branch of medicine

Transverse

a horizontal plane that divides the body or an organ into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) portions.

Superior

situated toward the head or upper part of the body

Inferior

located below or closer to the feet relative to another structure

Social determinants of health (SDOH)

the non-medical, environmental, and economic conditions that shape daily life and heavily influence health outcomes

ADLs (list examples)

activities of daily living - walking, eating, dressing, personal hygiene, ability to control bladder and bowel movements, and ability to use the toilet and properly clean oneself

iADLs (list examples)

instrumental activities of daily living - managing household (meal prep, housekeeping, laundry), managing health and communication (medication, operating devices to communicate, healthcare appointments) , managing finances and logistics (bill paying, transportation, shopping)

Area Agencies on Aging

a public or private non-profit agency designated by a state to address the needs and concerns of older adults at regional and local levels