| NCHCT | National Center for Health Care Technology |
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| NCHSR | National Center for Health Services Research |
| NHPIC | National Health Planning Information Center |
| NHRC | National Health Research Center |
| NCA | National Certification Agency; National Council on Aging; National Council on Alcoholism; neurocircu... |
| health care proxy | 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 healthcare 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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| health care quality, access, and evaluation | The concept concerned with all aspects of the quality, accessibility, and appraisal of health care and health care delivery. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health care rationing | Planning for the equitable allocation, apportionment, or distribution of available health resources. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health care reform | Innovation and improvement of the health care system by reappraisal, amendment of services, and removal of faults and abuses in providing and distributing health services to patients. It includes a re-alignment of health services and health insurance to maximum demographic elements (the unemployed, indigent, uninsured, elderly, inner cities, rural areas) with reference to coverage, hospitalization, pricing and cost containment, insurers' and employers' costs, pre-existing medical conditions, prescribed drugs, equipment, and services. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health care sector | Economic sector concerned with the provision, distribution, and consumption of health care services and related products. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health care surveys | Statistical measures of utilization and other aspects of the provision of health care services including hospitalization and ambulatory care. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health centre | An institution or group of institutions providing all types of medical care and preventive services to a population. (05 Mar 2000) |
| health education | Education that increases the awareness and favourably influences the attitudes and knowledge relating to the improvement of health on a personal or community basis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health education, dental | Education which increases the awareness and favourably influences the attitudes and knowledge relating to the improvement of dental health on a personal or community basis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health expenditures | The amounts spent by individuals, groups, nations, or private or public organizations for total health care and/or its various components. These amounts may or may not be equivalent to the actual costs (health care costs) and may or may not be shared among the patient, insurers, and/or employers. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health facilities | Institutions which provide medical or health-related services. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health facilities, proprietary | Health care institutions operated by private groups or corporations for a profit. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health facility administrators | Managerial personnel responsible for implementing policy and directing the activities of health care facilities such as nursing homes. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health facility closure | The closing of any health facility, e.g., health centres, residential facilities, and hospitals. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health facility environment | Physical surroundings or conditions of a hospital or other health facility and influence of these factors on patients and staff. (12 Dec 1998) |