Provider
A person or organization that provides health care, including doctors, nurses, clinics, and agencies
Facility
A place where health care is delivered or administered; may be a hospital, doctor’s office, clinical lab, treatment center, etc
Payer
A person or organization paying for healthcare; includes insurance and medicare
Diagnose
To make a medical determination of illness
Inpatient
A type of medical care provided to patients who stay at a facility overnight
Outpatient
A type of medical care that does not require an overnight stay
Acute
Describing an illness that is short-term and requires immediate care
Discharge
To release a patient from a medical facility
Admit
To check a patient in to a medical facility for inpatient care
Long-term care facility
A center that provides skilled care 24 hours a day to residents who live there
Clinical laboratory
A facility that collects and analyses specimens from patients in order to provide doctors and other healthcare professionals with information
Specimen
A portion or sample of something larger, collected for study or analysis
Reference laboratory
Facility that primarily analyzes specimens sent from other places
CLIA
Federal regulations regarding the operation and staffing of clinical labs
Accredit
Officially approve through a specific process
Joint Commission
An independent, nonprofit organization that evaluates and accredits
Chemistry
In a clinical laboratory, the department concerned with analyzing specimens for the presence of particular chemicals
Hematology
In a clinical lab, the department concerned with analyzing specimens to study properties, diseases, or disorders of the blood
Coagulation
The process of blood clotting
Microbiology
In a clinical lab, the department concerned with the study of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms
Culture
In medicine, to cause any microorganisms present to multiply
Immunology
In a clinical lab, the department concerned with analyzing specimens to study the body’s response to disease
Antibody
A protein made by the body to protect against foreign substances
Blood bank
A facility or department within a facility concerned with collecting and preparing blood for transfusion
Pathology
In a clinical lab, the department concerned with the study of the causes and effects of disease
Cytology
In a clinical lab, the department concerned with the examination of the structure and function of cells in specimens
Urinalysis
The visual, microscopic, and chemical testing of urine specimens
Stat
In medical facilities, a designation of urgency (ex: stat test)
Licensure
A legally required process that must be completed to practice a profession
Scope of practice
The range of tasks a healthcare worker is allowed to perform according to state or federal law or to a facility policy
Chain of command
The line of authority at a facility that helps ensure that patients get proper health care, and protects employees from liability
Liability
A legal term regarding the ability to be held responsible for harming someone
Venipuncture
The puncture of a vein with a hollow needle for the purpose of extracting a blood specimen
Vein
A blood vessel that carries blood toward the heart
Capillary
The smallest blood vessels; they carry oxygen and nutrients to the cells and remove carbon dioxide and wastes from cells throughout the body
Capillary puncture
The puncture of a patient’s skin for the purpose of collecting a blood specimen from the capillaries beneath the puncture site; also called dermal puncture
Policy
A course of action that should be taken every time a certain situation happens
Procedure
A method, or way, of doing something
Requisition
An order for diagnostic tests to be completed
Quality assurance
In health care, practices that seek to make care better in a way that can be measured
Quality control
In health care, processes put into place to document that standards are being met
CLSI
A nonprofit organization that develops standards are being met
Certification
A process used in healthcare to ensure skills are mastered for particular positions
Clinical experience
Experience working with patients in a healthcare facility
Continuing education
In health care, education intended to keep healthcare workers up to date on changes in medicine that affect their jobs; it can also address new equipment, procedures, policy changes, or provide a review of important topics
Professional
Having to do with work or a job
Personal
Regarding life outside a job
Professionalism
Behaving properly when on the job
Empathy
Identifying with the feelings of others
Tactful
Showing sensitivity and having a sense of what is appropriate when dealing with others
Conscientious
Careful and guided by a sense of what’s important and right
Stress
A state of being overwhelmed by mental or emotional demands
Stressor
Something that causes stress
