Medical Assistant: Vocabulary

Glossary

12-lead EKG

A common type of EKG that records the electrical activity of the heart in 12 different directions(leads)

24-hour urine specimen

Urine specimen consisting of all urine voided in a 24-hour period

Abandonment

In health care, failure of a practitioner to provide needed care to a patient with whom a patient-practitioner relationship has been established

ABA number

A number that appears as a fraction on the upper right portion of a check identifying the bank associated with a check writer’s account

Abdominal thrusts

a method of attempting to remove an object from the airway of someone who is choking

Abortion

Termination of a pregnancy

Absorption

The transfer of nutrients from the intestines to the cells

Abuse

Purposeful mistreatment that causes physical, mental, or emotional pain or injury to someone

Accounts payable(A/P)

a business's expenses, which include payroll, taxes, supplies, rent, etc

Accounts receivable(A/R)

a business’s income, which for a medical office includes patient payments, insurance payment, interest payments, etc

Acne vulgaris

Skin condition caused by inflammation of the sebaceous glands and skin follicles; can result in pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(AIDS)

The final stage of HIV infection, in which infections, tumors, and central nervous system symptoms appear due to a weakened immune system that is unable to fight infection

Acromegaly

a condition caused by over secretion of growth, hormone in adults, resulting in accelerated growth in the face and extremities

Acute

As related to illness, short-term, and requiring immediate care

Acute renal failure(ARF)

The sudden onset of kidney failure as a result of injury from disease, trauma, or toxins; also called acute kidney failure

Acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS)

a life-threatening condition in which the lungs filled with fluid and air cannot be exchanged effectively

Addison's disease

A condition in which the adrenal cortex does not secrete enough corticosteroid, hormones, resulting in fatigue, lack of energy, low blood pressure, loss of appetite, and weight loss; also known as adrenal insufficiency

Administer

In pharmacology, to give a drug to a person

Administrative

A word used to describe tasks related to the business and customer service operations of a medical office or other healthcare facilities

Advanced Beneficiary Notice(ABN)

A Medicare form used to inform a patient that a procedure or service will not be covered by Medicare benefits and that the patient is financially responsible if the service is provided

Advance directive

A legal document that allows people to decide what kind of medical care they wish to have in the event they are unable to make those decisions themselves

Aerobic exercise

Exercise that increases breathing and heart rate

Aerosolize

to disperse substance through the air in such a way that it might be inhaled

Afebrile

Free of fever

Age-related macular degeneration(AMD)

A condition in which the macula gradually deteriorates, causing vision loss and problems such as the inability to recognize faces, drive, read, and write

Aging report

A report showing the length of time that has passed since a charge was posted to an account

Allowable amount

a standard fee for a treatment, service, or supply set by an insurer; providers contracted with an insure are obliged to accept this amount as payment

Alveoli

The air sacks in the lungs were oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged

Alzheimer's disease(AD)

A progressive, incurable disease that causes tangled nerve fibers and protein deposits to form in the brain, which eventually cause dementia

Ambulatory care

Care given without a patient being admitted to a hospital

Ambulatory monitoring

A type of EKG technology that can record or monitor a patient's heart rate and rhythm over an extended period while the patient continues with normal life; Holter, event, and mobile telemetry monitors are examples

Amniocentesis

Testing that may be performed during pregnancy to detect chromosomal disorders; involves inserting a needle through the abdomen to collect a sample of amniotic fluid

Amputation

The surgical removal of some or all of a body part

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS)

A progressive disease that causes muscle atrophy(wasting) and eventually leads to death

Analyte

A substance measured or studied in a diagnostic exam

Anaphylactic reaction

A dangerous allergic reaction that may cause swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat that can obstruct airways; also called anaphylaxis

Anatomy

The structure of a body or body part

Anemia

A condition in which a person has either too few red blod cells or too little hemoglobin in the blood

Anesthetic

A medication used to reduce sensation

Aneurysm

A weak area in the wall of the artery

Angina

Chest pain, pressure, or discomfort

Angiogram

A type of diagnostic imaging in which an X-ray records pictures of the blood vessels after a dye is injected to improve visibility

Anorexia

An eating disorder in which a person does not eat or exercises excessively to lose weight

Antibody

A protein made by the body to protect against foreign substances

Antigen

A substance that can prompt an immune response

Antioxidant

A substance that can prevent damage to the body from harmful molecules called free radicals

Anxiety

Uneasiness, worry, or fear, often about a situation or condition

Aortic valve

The heart valve located between the left ventricle and the aorta; also called the aortic semilunar valve

Apical pulse

The pulse located on the left side of the chest, just below the nipple

Apnea

The absence of breathing

Appendicitis

Inflammation of the appendix caused by a bacterial infection

Arbitration

Settlement of a lawsuit using a qualified person known as an arbiter to review the case and determine the outcome

Arteriovenous fistula

A connection between a vein and an artery

Artery

A blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood away from the heart

Arthrocentesis

A procedure during which fluid is removed(aspirated) from a joint

Arthroscopy

A procedure performed to visualize a joint

Artifact

In electrocardiography, interference or distortion that appears on a tracing

Asexual

Relating to emotional romantic partners in a non-sexual way

Assault

The use of words or actions to cause another person to feel fearful or being harmed

Asset

In financial terms, something that increases the net worth of a business; accounts receivable are considered part of a businesses’s assets

Assignment of benefits

Permission granted by a subscriber for insurance benefits to be paid directly to a provider for services provided

Asthma

A chronic inflammatory disease that makes it difficult to breathe and causes coughing and wheezing

Atherosclerosis

A hardening and narrowing of the blood vessels

Atria

The two upper chambers of the heart(singular: atrium)

Atrial fibrillation

A common dysrhythmia that occurs with multiple sides fire in the atria; can cause blood to pull in the heart

Atrophy

The wasting away, decreasing in size, and weakening of muscles from lack of use

Audiologist

A healthcare professional who performs hearing tests and fixed patients for hearing aids

Audit

In healthcare billing, a review of diagnosis and procedure codes to ensure that they follow the correct guidelines; may be performed internally for quality assurance, or externally as a form of inspection

Augmented limb leads

In electric cardiography, the collective name for leads aVR, aVL, and aVF

Auscultation

Listening to sounds within the body using a stethoscope

Autism spectrum disorder(ASD)

A developmental disability that causes differences in a person's social interactions and communication

Autoimmune condition

A condition in which the body’s immune system attacks normal tissue in the body

Automated external defibrillator(AED)

A device attached to a patient to analyze heart rhythm and deliver a shock, if needed, to restore a normal heart rhythm

Autonomic nervous system(ANS)

The part of the nervous system that controls body functions that are not consciously directed(for example, breathing, and heartbeat)

Bad debt

An accounting category that may be used for patient bills that were deemed uncollectible

Basal cell carcinoma(BCC)

The most common form of skin cancer, affecting the basal cells of the epidermis; usually appears in areas that have been exposed to the sun

Baseline

An initial value that can be compared to future measurements

Battery

The intentional touching of another person without permission

Benefit

In the insurance industry, the services or items covered in an insurance policy

Benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)

A disorder that can occur in men as they age, in which the prostate becomes enlarged and causes problems with urination and/or emptying the bladder

Bias

A judgmental response, which may be positive or negative, based on assumptions or personal beliefs; may be unconscious

Bicuspid valve

The heart valve located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery; also called the mitral valve

Billable

In healthcare, a code with adequate detail to present to an insure as part of a claim

Billing cycle

The schedule used in a medical office to determine when patients receive bills for outstanding balances

Biopsy

The removal of a tissue or cell specimen to examine for signs of damage or disease(e.g., cancer)

Bipolar disorder

A mental health disorder that causes a person to swing from periods of deep depression(a depressive episode) two periods of extreme activity(a manic episode)

Bisexual

Having physical, emotional, and/or romantic attraction for people of the same gender or a different gender

Blood-borne pathogen

A microorganism found in human blood that can cause infection and disease in humans

Blood-borne pathogens standard

Federal law that requires healthcare facilities protect employees from blood-borne health hazards

Blood culture

A test for the presence of bacteria or fungal pathogens in the blood

Blood type

Designation based on the process or absence of specific antigens on a person’s red blood cells; A, B, AB, and O are the most common blood types

Body mass index(BMI)

Measurement found by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square root of their height in meters; may be used as a screening tool for underweight or obesity

Body mechanics

The way the parts of the body work together when a person moves

Bone

Rigid connective tissue that makes up the skeleton, protects organs, and allows the body to move

Brachial pulse

The pulse located inside the elbow, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches above the elbow

Bradycardia

Slow heartbeat

Bradypnea

Slow respirations

Brainstem

Part of the brain that connects the cerebrum and cerebellum to the spinal cord; controls heart rate, breathing, swallowing, coughing, vomiting, reflexes, and the closing and opening of blood vessels

Bronchiectasis

A condition in which the bronchial tubes are abnormally enlarged, causing chronic coughing, thick sputum, recurrent pneumonia, and weight loss

Bronchioles

Smaller branches from the bronchi; tubes that carry air further into the lungs, reaching the air sacks(alveoli)