| care | In medicine and public health, a general term for the application of knowledge to the benefit of a community or individual. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| care proxy, health | A health care proxy is one form of advance medical directive. Advance medical directives preserve the person's right to accept or reject a course of medical treatment even after that person becomes mentally or physically incapacitated to the point of being unable to communicate those wishes. There are two basic forms of advance directives: 1. A living will, in which the person outlines specific treatment guidelines that are to be followed by health care providers. 2. A health care proxy (also called a power of attorney for health-care decision-making) in which the person designates a trusted individual to make medical decisions in the event that he or she becomes too incapacitated to make such decisions. Advance directive requirements vary greatly from one jurisdiction to another and should therefore be drawn up in consultation with an attorney who is familiar with the laws of the particular jurisdiction. (This entry is based upon material from the National MS Society). (12 Dec 1998) |
| care, ambulatory | Medical care (including diagnosis, observation, treatment and rehabilitation) provided on an outpatient basis. Ambulatory care is given to persons who are not confined to a hospital but who are ambulatory and literally able to ambulate, to walk about. (A well-baby visit is considered ambulatory care even though the baby is not walking). (12 Dec 1998) |
| care, managed | Any system that manages healthcare delivery in order to control costs. (12 Dec 1998) |
| career choice | Selection of a type of occupation or profession. (12 Dec 1998) |
| career mobility | The upward or downward mobility in an occupation or the change from one occupation to another. (12 Dec 1998) |
| caregiver | The primary person in charge of care of a patient, usually a family member or a designated health care professional. A person who provides care to those who need supervision or assistance in illness or disability. They may provide the care in the home, in a hospital, or in an institution. Although caregiver include trained medical, nursing, and other health personnel, the concept also refers to parents, spouses, or other family members, friends, members of the clergy, teachers, social workers, fellow patients, etc. (23 Dec 1998) |
| Carey Coombs murmur | A blubbering apical middiastolic murmur occurring in the acute stage of rheumatic mitral valvulitis and disappearing as the valvulitis subsides. Synonym: Coombs murmur. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ambulatory care | Medical care (including diagnosis, observation, treatment and rehabilitation) provided on an outpatient basis. Ambulatory care is given to persons who are not confined to a hospital but rather are ambulatory and, literally, are able to ambulate or walk about. (A well-baby visit is considered ambulatory care even though the baby is not walking). (12 Dec 1998) |
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| ambulatory care facilities | Those facilities which administer health services to individuals who do not require hospitalization or institutionalization. (12 Dec 1998) |
| ambulatory care information systems | Information systems, usually computer-assisted, designed to store, manipulate, and retrieve information for planning, organizing, directing, and controlling administrative activities associated with the provision and utilization of ambulatory care services and facilities. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cancer care facilities | Institutions specializing in the care of cancer patients. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cardiac care facilities | Institutions specializing in the care of patients with heart disorders. (12 Dec 1998) |
| palliative care | Treatment aimed at relieving symptoms and pain rather than effecting a cure. (13 Nov 1997) |
| palliative care physician | <specialist> A medically qualified specialist in the care of people with incurable disease where the focus is on symptom control and the enhancement of quality of life. (13 Nov 1997) |
| managed care | Any system that manages healthcare delivery to control costs. (12 Dec 1998) |
| managed care programs | Health insurance plans intended to reduce unnecessary health care costs through a variety of mechanisms, including: economic incentives for physicians and patients to select less costly forms of care; programs for reviewing the medical necessity of specific services; increased beneficiary cost sharing; controls on inpatient admissions and lengths of stay; the establishment of cost-sharing incentives for outpatient surgery; selective contracting with health care providers; and the intensive management of high-cost health care cases. The programs may be provided in a variety of settings, such as health maintenance organizations and preferred provider organizations. (12 Dec 1998) |
| pastoral care | Counseling or comfort given by ministers, priests, rabbis, etc., to those in need of help with emotional problems or stressful situations. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient acceptance of health care | The seeking and acceptance by patients of health service. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient care | The services rendered by members of the health profession and non-professionals under their supervision for the benefit of the patient. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient care management | Generating, planning, organizing, and administering medical and nursing care and services for patients. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient care planning | Usually a written medical and nursing care program designed for a particular patient. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient care team | Care of patients by a multidisciplinary team usually organised under the leadership of a physician; each member of the team has specific responsibilities and the whole team contributes to the care of the patient. (12 Dec 1998) |