Glossary of Healthcare Terms

The buildup of fatty deposits under light-sensitive retinal cells.

The mechanical process of checking every figure and process for errors, a term often used in accountancy.

The less common but more damaging form of AMD, in which tiny blood vessels form and then break under the retina.

Healthcare providers may qualify for a federal tax exemption if they meet the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requirements for charitable organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), if the enterprise is “organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes,” and none of its earnings are allocated to private shareholders or individuals. Exempt purposes include those that are charitable, religious, educational, and scientific.

Healthcare organizations in which a set of providers, usually physicians and hospitals, are held accountable under a contract with a payor(s) (i.e., Medicare for Federal ACOs and any number of commercial payors for commercial ACOs) for the cost and quality of care delivered to a specific local population.

Accreditation is a process in which private organizations assess participating institutions and programs, and issue accreditation certificates to those that meet their requirements. Ensuring the quality and safety of services is the focus of most accreditation standards; however, many also include documentation and other requirements.

"An individual or group of ACO provider(s)/supplier(s), that is identified by a Medicare-enrolled TIN, that alone or together with one or more other ACO participants comprise(s) an ACO, and that is included on the list of ACO participants that is required under [42 CFR]

"An ACO provider/supplier who is either of the following: (1) A physician legally authorized to practice medicine and surgery by the State in which he performs such function or action; (2) A practitioner who is one of the following: (i) A physician assistant (as defined at [42 CFR]

An individual or entity that (1) Is a provider (as defined at 42 CFR)

A measure that indicates how efficiently the organization utilizes its resources or assets, including cash, accounts receivable, salaries, inventories, properties, plants, and equipment.

Ratios that indicate how efficiently the organization utilizes its resources or assets, including cash, accounts receivable, salaries, inventory, property, plant, and equipment.

It incorporates Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other Eastern traditions in anatomic stimulation of various corporal points. Current Procedural Terminology codes have been assigned to acupunctural procedures (97810-97814).

Provision of diagnostic and therapeutic services for relatively short periods of time due to often unexpected injuries or illnesses.

A tax that is generally determined to be a fixed or calculated proportion of the value of the property as assessed or appraised on a regular basis.

ADHPs possess a heightened degree of knowledge of the relationship between oral and systemic health and of preventive medicine, health education, and wellness.