CCMA Definitions and Vocabulary

arbitration

a hearing or determination of the outcome of a dispute or the settling of a difference between parties by a person or persons selected to direct the parties to an agreement

subpoena

a legal document that requires the office to present information such as the appointment book to the court

Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA)

a legal mandate that health care institutions encourage patients to make advance decisions regarding the type of care they wish to have or deny in the event they later become unable to make such decisions.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

a legislative act passed in 1996 and fully enacted in 2003, designed to improve the access and portability of medical information and to decrease waste and the abuse of health insurance

emancipated minor

a minor who, under the laws of a particular state, has the same legal capacity as an adult, usually if the minor lives on their own, is married, is self-supporting, or is in the armed forces.

patient incompetence

a patient's lack of decision-making ability

tortfeasor

a person who commits a tort

plaintiff

a person who files a lawsuit

patient navigator

a person who helps patients by facilitating their healthcare needs, encouraging adherence to care plans, and encouraging and coaching the patient regarding self-management skills.

rule of discovery

a time period in within which a lawsuit may be brought; in the case of medical malpractice this time period begins once the problem is discovered which may be some time after the actual medical treatment

prefix

a word element placed before or affixed to the beginning of a word

mature minor

a young person, generally under the age of 18, who possesses the maturity to understand the nature and consequences of a medical treatment.

immune function

ability of the body to protect itself from disease

Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)

accreditatation bureau that certifies medical assisiting bureau that certifies medical assisting programs; graduates of ABHES accredited programs may take the CMA (AAMA) or RMA examination

guardian ad litem

adult who will act in the court on behalf of a minor

abandonment

improper forsaking, as when a physician who has agreed to care for a patient terminates the contract without valid cause

exploitation

improper use of someone else's money or assets

certification

issuance by an official body or professional organization of a certificate and credentials to an individual who has met the education and experience standards of that organization.

Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)

one of two medical assisting credentials offered by the National Healthcareer Association; a CCMA will work in hte clinical or back office areas of health care settings

Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA)

one of two medical assisting credentials offered by the National Healthcareer Association; a CMAA will work in the administrative or front office areas of health care settings

microbes

one-celled forms of life, such as bacteria

contributory negligence

patient's contribution to the injury, which if proven would release the physician as the direct cause

misfeasance

performing a lawful act but no in the proper way

malfeasance

performing a wrongful or unlawful act

informed consent

permission or approval given by a patient who is informed by the physician about the possible consequences of both having and not having certain procedures and treatment.

defendant

person who has been accused of wrongdoing in a court of law

medical privilege

physician is granted rights to practice medicine in a particular hospital or other health care facility

scope of practice

procedures a health care professional, such as a medical assistant, is allowed to perform under federal and state guidelines for that profession.

pasteurization

process during which substances, such as milk and cheese, are heated to a certain temperature to eliminate bacteria.

American Medical Technologists (AMT)

professional association that provides oversight for the registration and testing of medical technologists, medical assistants, and phlebotomists.

malpractice

professional misconduct or demonstration of an unreasonable lack of skill that results in injury, loss, or damage to a patient

human genome project

publicly funded international research project (completed in 2001) to sequence and identify human genes and record their positions on chromosomes.

caduceus

recognized symbol for medicine; depicts a healing staff with two snakes coiled around

bariatrics

science of obesity

acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

series of illnesses that occur as a result of infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes the immune system to break down

outpatient

services provided to patients on a walk-in basis when no overnight stay is required .

inpatient

services provided to patients who are in a facility overnight or on a long term basis.

externship

situation in which a student works without payment in a physician's office, hospital, or other health care setting for 160 hours over a minimum of four weeks during the final stage of training, under the supervision of someone at the site; also called a praticum.

practicum

situation in which a student works without payment in a physician's office, hospital, or other health care setting for 160 hours over a minimum of four weeks, during the final stage of training, under the supervision of someone in the site; also called an externship.

Good Samaritan acts

state laws that help to protect health care professionals from liability when they give emergency care to accident victims

deposition

sworn testimony of a witness in a written statement

morals

that which a person believes to be an acceptable or right way to live

ethics

the branch of philosophy related to morals and moral principles; distinction between right and wrong and a person's moral duty and obligations to the community .

proximate cause

the determination that a person's acts or failure to act directly caused an injury

nutrition

the effects of vitamins, minerals, and food in the body

risk management

the planning and implementation of strategies for reducing the physician's risk of a lawsuit in the medical setting

morbidity

the rate or number of people who have a disease or illness

mortality

the rate or number of people who suffer death in a particular circumstance

immunology

the study of immunity, the resistance to or protection from the disease

veracity

truthfulness; truth in speech or statements

stem cell

undifferentiated cell that can give rise to other cells of the same type or from which is specialized cells can develop

chemotherapy

use of chemicals, including drugs, to treat or control infections and disease such as cancer

combining vowel

vowel, usually "o" , added to a word root before combining

suffix

word element affixed to the end of a word

combining form

word root that has a vowel attached to it in order to add another element

res ipsa loquitur

"the thing speaks for itself;" doctrine applies to the law of negligence and refers to the breach (neglect) of duty that is so obvious that it does not need further explanation.

respondeat superior

Latin term meaning "Let the master answer"; refers to the employer or physician who is liable for the negligent actions of anyone working for him or her; in some states, both physician and employee and education.

Accreditation

Process by which an institution voluntarily completes an extensive self-study after which an accrediting association visits the school to verify the self-study statements.

Uniform Anatomical Gift Act

a federal law that sets the regulatory framework for the donation of organs, tissues, or body parts in the United States.

patient-centered medical home (PCMH)

a facility that helps to streamline the health care needs of a patient by providing a cooperative team of health care specialists in one convenient location

syphilis

an infectious chronic venereal disease

subpoena duces tecum

an order to appear in court and to bring with you certain medical records for trial

delegate

assign work-related tasks to a person who is both responsible and competent to complete them, as a physician to a medical assistant.

medical durable power of attorney (MOPOA)

assignment by a patient of an agent who may make major health care related decisions on behalf of the patients if the patient becomes unable to make such decisions on their own behalf.

registration

being entered on a list of professionals recognized as qualified by an organization or association in a specific health care field that administers examinations, maintains a list of qualified individuals, or both

anatomy

body structure; study of the structure of an organism

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)

body that accredits educational programs that prepare medical assisting students to take the CMA(AAMA) exam

endocrinology

branch of medicine and biology that deals with the endocrine system, the cells, glands, and tissues that severe hormones.

oncology

branch of medicine dealing with malignant neoplasms or tumors

expressed consent

consent for care that is given by a patient verbally or in writing

implied consent

consent for care that is not explicitly given but is inferred from the patient's actions, such as coming to a physician's office for an examination

National Certified Medical Assistant

credential issued by the National Center for Competency Testing to qualified medical assistants; to continue certification, 14 CEU's must be obtained each year.

continuing education unit (CEU)

credit awarded for additional course work beyond certification; one unit of training or education is granted for each clock hour of workshops, seminars, or conference.

defamation of character

damaged caused to a person's reputation through spoken or written words

cadavers

dead human bodies used to study human anatomy

anthrax

deadly infectious disease caused by Bacillu anthracis

practice of medicine

diagnosing and prescribing treatment of medication

advance directive

document that allows patients to request that life-sustaining treatments and nutritional support not be used to prolong their life; includes the durable power of attorney.

living will

document that allows patients to request that life-sustaining treatments and nutritional support not be used to prolong their lives

bioethics

ethical decisions pertaining to life issues such as stem cell research, in vitro fertilization, and abortion rights

autopsy

examination of the organs and tissues of a deceased body to determine cause of death

reasonable person standard

exercising the ordinary standard of care and they type of care that a "reasonable" person would use in a similar circumstance.

hospice

facility or company that provides an interdisciplinary program of care and supportive services for terminally ill patients and their families.

breach of contract

failure by either party in a valid contract to comply with terms of the agreement

negligence

failure to do or perform or to take reasonable care in performing a specific action, which results in injury to another person.

American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA)

formed as a national professional organization in 1955 after previously being the Kansas Medical Assistant Society. Was the first organization to place an emphasis on the educational objectives of medical assisting.

physiology

functions and processes of the body; the study of the function of an organism

licensure

granting of a license and authorization to practice a profession by a government agency

civil law

laws governing how people relate to each other and the government

administrative law

laws governing the administration of agency regulations

contract law

laws relating to enforceable promises and agreements between two or more persons to do or not to do a particular action

tort

legal wrong or error resulting in harm

liable

legally responsible

standard of care

level of knowledge, skill, and care a medical practitioner must provide to all patients for the same care that would commonly be provided by other similar medical care professionals under the same circumstances in the same locality

statute of limitations

maximum time period set up federal and state governments which certain legal actions, such as a patient filing a lawsuit, can be brought forward.

Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)

medical assistant who has met eligibility requirements and who can prove his or her competency to perform entry-level skills through written examination; the RMA is awarded to candidates who pass the American Medical Technologists(AMT) certification examination.

osteopath

medical professional who places great emphasis on the relationship between the musculskeletal system and the organs of the body

anesthesia

medication that causes the partial of complete loss of sensation