Miscellaneous Flashcards
Accreditation
A standardized program for evaluating healthcare organizations to ensure a specified
level of quality, as defined by a set of national industry standards. Organizations that meet these standards receive an official authorization or approval of their services.
Entails a voluntary survey process that assesses the extent of a healthcare organization’s compliance
with the standards for the purpose of improving the systems and processes of care (performance) and, in so doing, improving patient outcomes.
Benchmarking
An act of comparing a work process with that of the best competitor. Through this
process one is able to identify what performance measure levels must be surpassed. This
assists an organization in assessing its strengths and weaknesses and in finding and implementing
best practices.
Caregiver
The person responsible for caring for a patient in the home setting. Can be a family
member, friend, volunteer, or an assigned healthcare professional.
Credentialing
A review process to approve a provider who applies to participate in a health plan.
Specific criteria are applied to evaluate participation in the plan. The review may include references,
training, experience, demonstrated ability, licensure verification, and adequate malpractice insurance.
Cultural Competency
A set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a
system, agency, or among professionals and enables that system, agency, or those professionals to
work effectively in cross–cultural situations.
Culture
The thoughts, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values, and institutions of racial,
ethnic, religious, or social groups.
Database
An organized, comprehensive collection of patient care data. Sometimes it is used for
research or for quality improvement efforts.
Ergonomics (or human factors)
The scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of
interactions among humans and other elements of a system. It is the profession that applies theory,
principles, data and methods to environmental design (including work environments) in order to
optimize human well-being and overall system performance.
Ergonomist
An individual who has (1) a mastery of ergonomics knowledge; (2) a command of the
methodologies used by ergonomists in applying that knowledge to the design of a product, process,
or environment; and (3) has applied his or her knowledge to the analysis, design, test, and evaluation
of products, processes, and environments.
Internet
A public, cooperative creation that operates using national and international
telecommunication technologies and networks, including high-speed data lines, phone lines, satellite
communications, and radio networks.
JCAHO
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.
Licensure
A mandatory and official form of validation provided by a governmental agency in any
state affirming that a practitioner has acquired the basic knowledge and skill and minimum degree of
competence required for safe practice in his or her profession.
Life Care Plan
A dynamic document based upon published standards of practice, comprehensive
assessment, research and data analysis, which provides an organized, concise plan for current and
future needs with associated costs for individuals who have experienced catastrophic injury or have
chronic healthcare needs.
Standard (Individual)
An authoritative statement bu which a profession defines the responsibilities
for which its practitioners are accountable.
Standard (Organization)
An authoritative statement that defines the performance expectations,
structures, or processes that must be substantially in place in an organization to enhance the quality
of care.
