| ACC | accommodation; acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase; acinic cell carcinoma; acute care center; adenoid cyst... |
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| ACG | accelerator globulin; alternative care grant; ambulatory care group; American College of Gastroenter... |
| ACU | acquired cold urticaria; acute care unit; agar colony-forming unit; ambulatory care unit |
| AHCA | Agency for Health Care Administration; American Health Care Association |
| CCRC | comprehensive care retirement community; continuing care retirement community |
| 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) |
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| 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) |
| patient-centreed care | Design of patient care wherein institutional resources and personnel are organised around patients rather than around specialised departments. (12 Dec 1998) |
| medical care | The portion of care under a physician's direction. (05 Mar 2000) |
| peer review, health care | The concurrent or retrospective review by practicing physicians or other health professionals of the quality and efficiency of patient care practices or services ordered or performed by other physicians or other health professionals . (12 Dec 1998) |
| respiratory care unit | The hospital unit in which patients with respiratory conditions requiring special attention receive intensive medical care and surveillance. (12 Dec 1998) |