Glossary of Healthcare Terms

Corporations that can issue stock, but are limited to seventy-five stakeholders and can only issue one class of stock: common or preferred.

A flow-through taxable entity where earnings are only taxed once they are paid out to shareholders.

Specific regulatory criteria that must be met to shield an arrangement from liability, and are meant to protect practices unlikely to result in fraud or abuse.

A hospital, often an academic hospital, which provides care to low-income, uninsured, or vulnerable patient populations.

"A laser scans your eyes in seconds, and then produces digital images of your retinas. Your doctor can use the images to check for abnormalities."

Shares of stock that are purchased from publicly traded firms.

"The specialty which (a physician) has chosen to designate for himself/herself."

Self-insuring employers make a conscious choice to undertake the risks associated with the cost of healthcare, and set aside money to pay these costs as they arise. Often, a self-insurer will hire a commercial insurer or third party administrator to run their medical benefits program and adjudicate claims.

The practice of referring a patient for a designated health service (DHS) to an entity in which the referring physician (or a member of his immediate family) has an ownership or investment interest.

Benchmarking metrics used to measure customer satisfaction regarding provided healthcare services.

“A portion of the ACO’s performance year Medicare fee-for-service Parts A and B expenditures, above the applicable benchmark, it must repay to CMS. An ACO’s eligibility for shared losses will be determined for each performance year. For an ACO requesting interim payment, shared losses may result from the interim payment calculation.”

“A portion of the ACO’s performance year Medicare fee-forservice Parts A and B expenditures, below the applicable benchmark, it is
eligible to receive payment for from CMS. An ACO’s eligibility for shared savings will be determined for each performance year. For an ACO requesting interim payment, shared savings may result from the interim payment system calculation.”

Hospitals whose patient base has an anticipated length of stay which is less than twenty-five days.

A short-term hospital that has facilities, medical staff and all necessary personnel to provide diagnosis, care and treatment of a wide range of acute conditions, including injuries.

Also known as nursing homes, these facilities provide predominantly inpatient skilled nursing care and rehabilitative services and can be part of a hospital or hospital system. These facilities focus their attention on rehabilitating patients though specialty care and therapies, including physical, occupational, speech, and respiratory therapy. They also house patients who have recently been discharged from a hospital and are in a transitional period before returning home.