| united states health care financing administration | A component of the department of health and human services to oversee and direct the medicare and medicaid programs and related federal medical care quality control staffs. (12 Dec 1998) |
|---|---|
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 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 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) |