DEFINITIONS
|
|
ACE Inhibitor - an oral medicine that
lowers blood pressure Acute - rapid onset and short but severe course Acute Care Facility - a hospital that provides short-term patient care Acute Psychiatric Hospital - a facility which provides 24-hour in-patient care for those affected with short term or long term mental illness Arthroscopy - a procedure using an instrument that allows a surgeon to view the inside of a joint to show any problems Average Length of Stay - the average number of days a patient stays at the facility (Calculation: Total # of patient days divided by the # of discharges for a given period) Average Daily Census - average number of people served on an inpatient basis on a single day during the reporting period (Calculated by dividing the total number of inpatient days by the number of days in the reporting period) Beds - an adult bed, pediatric bed, birthing room or newborn bed maintained in a patient care area for lodging patients in acute, long-term or domiciliary areas of the hospital Beta blocker - medicine used to treat high blood pressure and other heart conditions by reducing the heart rate and the heart's output of blood Blood culture - a test to determine if bacteria, fungus or other microorganisms are present in the blood Bone Imaging - a diagnostic procedure for determining problems with your bones, such as arthritis, infection, fractures, and tumors Burn Intensive Care (BICU) - a special treatment unit for burned patients needing more intensive care then typical medical/surgical patients, which is staffed with specially trained personnel and outfitted with special equipment used to care for burn patients Cardiac Rehab - (short for Cardiac rehabilitation) is a comprehensive program, including exercise, education and behavioral modification, for patients with heart disease used to improve their physical and emotional health Cardiac Cath Lab - (short for Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory) is a specialized service for diagnosing and treating heart conditions Cardiac Surgery - is surgery on the heart Cardiovascular Services - services involving the heart and the blood vessels Cataracts - the clouding of the eye's natural lens, usually caused by aging Chronic - always present or reoccurring Coronary Intensive Care (CCU) - an intensive care unit for patients with life-threatening heart conditions, which is staffed with specially trained personnel and outfitted with equipment required for intense, comprehensive observation and care Computed Tomography (CT) Scanner - a machine that uses a 360-degree x-ray beam and computer production of images, which shows a cross-sectional view of body organs and tissues Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) - a specialized x-ray that examines blood flow in arteries when they are filled with a contrast material Critical Access Hospitals - Rural hospitals that have 25 beds or less Discharges - the total number of patients released from a hospital after being treated in the facility for a period of one night or more Echocardiogram - a test in which ultrasound is used to examine the heart Electroencephalography (EEG) - a test in which electrodes are placed on the scalp to measure electrical activity produced by the brain Electrophysiology - the study of electrical activity in the heart Emergency Department - the section of a healthcare facility that provides immediate, unscheduled outpatient care for victims of sudden illness or trauma Emergency Services - services necessary to prevent death or serious impairment General Medical/Surgical Bed - (also called General Med-Surge Beds) - are beds used for routine care Hemodialysis - the use of a machine to clean wastes from the blood after the kidneys have failed Hyperbaric Oxygen - oxygen that is at an atmospheric pressure higher than the pressure at sea level Inpatient procedure - a procedure that requires a patient to be admitted to a hospital for treatment and to stay at least one night Inpatient Surgery - surgery which requires the patient to be admitted and stay in the hospital at least one night Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) - type of 3-dimensional radiation therapy using computer images to show the size and shape of a tumor Intensive Care Unit (ICU) - a separate, clearly designated treatment area maintained within the facility solely for the care and treatment of patients who are critically ill Irregular heartbeat - a disturbance in the regular rhythm of the heartbeat Ischemia - a condition where the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a part of the body is restricted Joint Replacement - surgical replacement of a joint Left Ventricular Function (LVF) - the pumping function of the heart chamber supplying body circulation Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction (LVSD) - abnormal activity of the left chamber of the heart often occurring following a heart attack and increasing the patients' risk for recurrent heart attacks, heart failure or other fatal events Lithotripsy (ESWL) - treatment to break up kidney stones so their fragments can be passed through the urinary track Long-Term Acute Care Hospitals (LTACHs) - specialty care hospitals designed for extended stay patients with chronic conditions Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) - a machine that uses a large, powerful magnet to create pictures of the blood vessels Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - a non-invasive procedure using a large, powerful magnet that produces a two-dimensional view of an internal organ or structure Mammography - a specific type of imaging that uses a low-dose x-ray system for the examination of breasts Medicare Cost Reports - an annual report required of all institutions participating in the Medicare program, which records each institution's total costs and charges associated with providing services, the portion of those costs and charges allocated to Medicare patients, and the Medicare payments received MedPAR - Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) data is information abstracted from the UB-92 billings for Medicare (A UB-92 is a common claim form used by a hospital to bill for services provided to a patient) Neurosciences - any of the sciences dealing with the nervous system Nuclear Studies of the Heart - tests that show how well blood is flowing to various portions of the heart muscle Nursing Facility (NF) - a licensed facility housing chronically ill, usually elderly, patients and providing long-term nursing care, rehabilitation and other services; also commonly referred to as a long-term care facility Obstetrics - the branch of medicine that deals with the care of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the recovery period following delivery Oncology Services - the branch of medicine dealing with tumors Orthopedic Services - The branch of surgery dealing with the skeletal system Organ Transplant (Medicare certified) - a surgical operation in which a failing or damaged organ in the human body is removed and replaced with a functioning one (including heart, intestines, kidney, liver, lung and pancreas) Outpatient procedure - a procedure that allows the patient to go home the same day he or she was treated Oxygenation assessment - measuring the oxygen level in the blood PCI-Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (previously called Angioplasty, Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary [PTCA], or Balloon Angioplasty) - encompasses a variety of procedures used to treat patients with diseased arteries of the heart Physical Therapy - therapy using exercise and physical activity helping to condition muscles and restore strength and movement Pneumococcal vaccination - a shot to prevent pneumonia Positron Emission Tomography (PET) - a specialized imaging method that generates three-dimensional colored images of the body Psychiatric - the branch of medicine that deals with mental and emotional disorders Radiation Therapy - cancer treatment with radiation Radiology - the branch of medicine dealing with the use of radioactive substances to diagnose and treat disease Rehabilitation - the process of restoring skills and normal functions to a person who has had an illness or injury helping them to become self-sufficient Rural Hospitals - Acute care hospitals located in a rural area that have more than 25 beds Single Photon Emission Computerized Tomography (SPECT) - an imaging technique measuring blood flow within the brain Skilled Nursing (SNF) - a long-term care service providing continuous skilled nursing care for patients who have deteriorating condition requiring skilled care or who show potential for improvement to a stabilized condition Sleep Studies - study done overnight monitoring sleep activities used for diagnosing and determining the type and severity of sleep disorders Smoking Cessation - to quit smoking Special Care Beds - beds used for intensive care units, coronary care units, etc. Speech Therapy - therapy to correct speech disorders Surgical Intensive Care (SICU) - a section of a hospital in which patients need surgery because of sudden life threatening medical problem and are placed under continuous monitoring with detailed care Swing Beds - refers to a hospital's ability to use its beds to provide either acute (regular hospital care) or skilled nursing level care Thrombolytic Medication - medication used during a heart attack to dissolve clots that may block blood flow in the coronary arteries Ultrasound - a method of obtaining images from inside the human body through the use of high-frequency sound waves Vascular Surgery - surgery or procedures related to the blood vessels of the body Vascular Intervention - nonsurgical procedures used to treat arteries and veins outside the coronary vascular system Wound Care - care for an acute or chronic wound Site Map / email:
mthomasson@arkhospitals.org |
