Health and Med Science: Chapter 1

Cost Containment

The effort to control the rising cost of healthcare and achieve the maximum benefit for every dollar spent

Diagnostic related groups (DRGs)

A method by Congress in attempt to control costs for government insurance plans such as Medicare and Medicaid. Patients are grouped into one payment group with a limit placed on the cost of care

Outpatient services

A method of lowering the cost of healthcare by receiving care without being admitted to a hospital

Energy conservation

Monitoring the use of energy to control costs and conserve resources

Home healthcare

The field of health services in which care is given at the patient’s house

Geriatric care

Care for the elderly; a rapidly growing field due to increasingly longer life spans.

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA)

Requires states to establish training and competency evaluation programs for nursing and geriatric assistants

Telemedicine

The use of video, audio, and computer systems to provide medical and/or health services

Wellness

The state of being in optimum health with a balanced relationship between physical, mental, and social health

Holistic health care

Care that promotes physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual wellbeing by treating the whole body, mind, and spirit.

Complementary therapies

Methods of treatment that are used in conjunction with conventional medical therapies.

Alternative therapies

Methods of treatment that are used in place of biomedical therapies.

Integrative (integrated) health care

Uses both mainstream medical treatments and CAM therapies to treat patients

Pandemic

Exists when the outbreak of a disease occurs over a wide geographic area and affects a high proportion of the population

Biotechnology

The use of the genetic and biotechnical processes of living systems and organisms to develop or modify useful products