School of Health Services Administration

Faculty Notes
HCS/120 Version 1 / 1

Faculty Notes

HCS/120 Version 1

Medical Terminology for Health Care Professionals

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Module Revision History

MODULE CODE / REVISION(S) DETAIL
R1 / New course

Course Overview

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course offers students engagement and interaction with the dynamic language of health care. Through comprehensive discussions and activities, students will have the opportunity to be immersed in the words used in health care.

TOPICS AND OBJECTIVES

Week 1: Introduction to Health Care Industry Terminology and Personnel

Describe the importance of medical terminology.
Identify the career spectrum within the health care industry.
Identify the terms and abbreviations associated with health care personnel.

Week 2: Health Care Structures and Delivery Systems

Identify the framework and roles of health care delivery.
Describe health care services and functions.

Week 3: Patient Health Data and Technology

Identify components of a patient’s health care record.
Examine the influence of technology and reform in the health care industry.

Week 4: Body Systems

Identify the major body systems and their functions.
Identify the common conditions and diseases of the major body systems.

Week 5: Health Care Compliance and Resources

Identify the major regulations and agencies providing oversight to health care.
Identify community, state, and federal resources.

COURSE Curriculum Design Notes

This is a new course developed to adapt our associate-level courses to the 5-week learning model used by University of Phoenix for undergraduate courses. The previous 9-week model and 5-week model were very different, so it is important that you thoroughly review the content and materials to familiarize yourself with the new curriculum.

It is important for you and your students to understand the purpose of this course. It is not a traditional medical terminology course where the focus is on prefixes, suffixes, and complex medical words and definitions. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to terms used in health care. Anyone working within health care should be familiar with basic terms, including some medical terminology. This course was designed to help meet that need.

You may notice many enhancements in this course, including videos, simulations, websites, and other resources. Not all enhancements may be specifically aligned to health care. Therefore, you must ensure that you draw out the relevant principles from these enhancements and help students relate those principles to the health care industry. Some enhancements, as well as some assignments, may not contain as many directions or details as you are used to seeing. This is being done to give you more opportunities for creativity with the enhancements, while also providing students with unique learning experiences.

You may also notice more assignments and required activities than in previous courses. This has been done to meet the newly implemented credit hour policy. This means the course contains a minimum number of student- and faculty-directed hours. Should any changes be made to assignments and activities, you must ensure that your changes do not cause the course to fall below the minimum.

Week 1 Faculty Notes

Introduction to Health Care Industry Terminology and Personnel

Describe the importance of medical terminology.
Identify the career spectrum within the health care industry.
Identify the terms and abbreviations associated with health care personnel.

WEek 1 Curriculum design notes

As you grade and provide feedback, consider the context of the assignment to ensure that your feedback is relevant and applicable. The Job Interview Question, for example, requires students to write a response to a question as if they were going through the job interview process. It is not required or appropriate for students to write their response in APA formatting for this assignment, and you should not be grading it as you would an APA essay. You should, however, consider aspects such as tone, content, grammar, and mechanics.

Each week, students are required to complete a vocabulary worksheet. Some key terms have been provided, but students are also asked to identify and define terms that are new to them. You may consider changing some of the provided terms if you believe other terms are more appropriate, or if you wish to change the number of terms students are required to define.

Content outline

1.Introduction to health care industry terminology and personnel

Describe the importance of medical terminology.

1)Mastering medical terms allows effective communication.

a)Communicating with medical professionals

(1)Understanding what they are saying to you

(2)Knowing how to respond appropriately

b)Communicating with patients

(1)Able to translate and accurately transfer information between patients and providers

(2)Able to document necessary information

2)Learning medical language is key to a successful health care career.

a)You must know the language to process information correctly.

b)You must be able to communicate with those you work with.

c)Information is critical for the health and well-being of people.

Identify the career spectrum within the health care industry.

1)Unlicensed health care team members

2)Licensed team members

3)Leadership roles

4)Variety of industry

a)Health care manufacturing

b)Insurance

c)Pharmaceuticals

d)Waste management

e)Facility design

f)Sustainability

g)Food service

h)Wellness centers

i)Information systems and technology

j)Therapists

k)Civic and social organizations

Identify the terms and abbreviationsassociated with health care personnel.

1)Health care professionals who provide direct patient care

a)Medical doctors: physicians who diagnosis and treat diseases

(1)Medical doctor (abbreviated as MD)

(2)Primary care physician (abbreviated as PCP)

(3)Doctor of osteopathic medicine (abbreviated as DO)

(4)Medical assistants are unlicensed, back-office staff who support the medical practice; certified medical assistant is abbreviated as CMA.

b)General practitioners: physicians who provide medical care to all types of patients

c)Surgeons: physicians who provide surgical services for patients

(1)Surgical assistants; certified surgical assistant is abbreviated as CSA.

d)Cardiologists: physicians who specialize in heart diseases

(1)Cardiology technician (EKG tech or EEG tech)

e)Gerontologists: physicians who specialize in providing health care for older adults

f)Radiologists: physicians who specialize in reading X-rays and in treating diseases with radiological interventions

(1)Ultrasound technicians

(2)Mammogram technician

(3)Nuclear medicine technician

(4)Radiology technician

g)Nurses: professionals who treat patients, educate patients and the public about health issues, and act as the patient’s advocate in the health care system

(1)Licensed vocational nurse or licensed practical nurse: 12- to 15-month vocational training, with a focus on prevention or rehabilitative care (abbreviated as LPN)

(2)Registered nurse: associate degree or baccalaureate degree training (abbreviated as RN)

(a)Certified nurse’s aide (abbreviated as CNA)

h)Advance practice nurses: registered nurses who possesses a graduate degree, with specialized training and licensure

(1)Nurse practitioners: registered nurses who possess an advanced degree and who can independently diagnose and treat patients; nurse practitioner is abbreviated as NP.

(2)Midwives: registered nurses who possess an advanced degree and who specialize in delivering babies; certified nurse midwife is abbreviated as CNM.

(3)Nurse anesthetists: specialize in anesthesia; certified registered nurse anesthetist is abbreviated as CRNA.

(4)Clinical nurse specialist: specialize in a specific area of expertise (ambulatory care, critical care, oncology, and so on); a critical care registered nurse is abbreviated as CCRN, and an oncology certified nurse is abbreviated as OCN.

i)Physician assistants: professionals who work under the supervision of a physician and who diagnose and treat diseases; physician assistant is abbreviated as PA.

j)Pharmacists: professionals who advise the medical profession and the public about the proper selection and use of medications; pharmacist is abbreviated as RPh.

(1)Pharmacy technicians

k)Emergency medical technicians and paramedics: certified technicians who provide on-the-scene emergency care for patients involved in accidents or trauma who require immediate medical attention

l)Therapists

(1)Physical (abbreviated as PT)

(a)Physical therapy assistant (unlicensed)

(2)Respiratory (abbreviated as RT)

(3)Occupational (abbreviated as OT)

(4)Recreational

(5)Behavioral

m)Dentists:provide oral care; doctor of dental surgery is abbreviated as DDS.

(1)Dental hygienist; a registered dental hygienist is abbreviated as RDH.

(2)Dental assistant; a certified dental assistant is abbreviated as CDA.

n)Dietitians; a registered dietitian is abbreviated as RD.

(1)Dietetic technician, registered (abbreviated as DTR)

o)Optometrists; doctor of optometry is abbreviated as OD.

(1)Ophthalmology technician

p)Speech-language pathologists and audiologists

q)Radiologists

r)Social workers; social worker is abbreviated as SW (MSW if possess a master’s degree).

s)Psychologists; a licensed clinical psychologist is abbreviated as LCP.

t)Athletic trainers; certified athletic trainer is abbreviated as ATC.

u)Veterinarians; doctor of veterinary medicine is abbreviated as DVM.

2)Health care professionals who do not provide direct patient care: There is great diversity of professions outside of the hospital and doctor’s office.

a)Medical lab technologists perform patient laboratory tests ordered by practitioners.

b)Health educators instruct the public regarding health issues.

c)Administrative personnel are professionals who deal with the daily business operations of a facility (hospitals, wellness centers, medical health spas, surgical centers, and so on).

(1)Directors deal with the overall performance and compliance, direction, and business success of the hospital.

(2)Department managers manage staff and departmental issues in the hospital.

(3)Shift managers deal with the situations and issues that arise during an assigned shift.

(4)Social workers are trained specialists who assist people with various social and economic issues, such as unemployment, terminal illness, abuse situations, or addiction.

(5)Billing personnel are responsible for accurate accounting, billing, and collecting funds owed to the hospital.

(6)Health information systems personnel deal with the electronic storage and accessibility of medical information and take care of computer network issues.

d)Manufacturing

(1)Medical manufacturing

(2)Research and development

(a)Designers or developers design and develop medical devices and equipment.

(b)Researchers research the implementation and effectiveness of medical devices or equipment.

(3)Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing

e)Insurance

f)Distribution centers

g)Health care product retailers

h)Federal and state health regulators

i)Photographers and illustrators

j)Transcriptionists

k)Medical record technician

Entry-level positions: clerks, hospital admission clerks, ward clerks, medical coders, sterilization technicians, data analysts, front-office staff, sales representatives, and others

Discussion starters

Do you believe it is important for every worker in health care to understand certain health care terms? Why?
How familiar are you with terms used in health care?
If you were to ask someone working in health care why medical terminology is important, what do you think he or she would say?

Week 2 Faculty Notes

Health Care Structures and Delivery Systems

Identify the framework and roles of health care delivery.
Describe health care services and functions.

Week 2 Curriculum design notes

For the Structures and Service Worksheets due this week, students are asked to include at least one reference per worksheet. This has been done not only to ensure that students are completing research to collect information, but also that they are citing and referencing it. You may consider requiring references for other assignments in this course, as well.

Content

1.Health care structures and delivery systems

Identify the framework and roles of health care delivery.

1)Federal and state structures

a)Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

(1)Functions as a federal organization providing information regarding federal programs

(2)Resource for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

b)Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

(1)Functions as the federal source of government-sponsored health care programs

(2)Resource for federal Medicare and federal or state Medicaid services

c)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

(1)Functions as the epidemiological tracking and trending center for diseases in the United States

(2)Resource for disease-related information, primarily in the United States

d)State public health department

(1)Functions as the epidemiological tracking and trending center for diseases within the state

(2)Resource for state information regarding diseases, public health clinics, and state public health information services

e)Indian Health Services (IHS)

(1)Functions as the primarily source for Native American health services

(2)Resource for Native American health services, including the location of hospitals, clinics, educational programs, and reservations

f)U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs(VA)

(1)Functions as an access point for veterans seeking services from the federal government

(2)Resource for VA hospitals and clinics;an information source for veterans

2)Private, for-profit, and voluntary structures

a)Hospitals deliver primary patient care and serve as a source for medical staff training.

b)Clinics (traditional and stand-alone) deliver short-term ambulatory patient care that is not usually of an urgent nature.

c)Physician offices serve as the entry point to the health care system, as physicians diagnoseand treat disease and provide wellness services.

d)Long-term care (LTC) facilities provide long-term care to older adults and adults those with disabilitieswho are unable to take care of themselves in a private setting.

e)Home health services provide needed care in a patient’s home, usually on a short-term basis.

f)Hospice provides care to the dying and provides support for family and friends.

g)Urgent care delivers short-term, urgent, ambulatory patient care.

Describe health care services and functions.

1)Overview of the four broad types of services in healthcare

a)Health promotion: active living and healthy eating

b)Disease prevention

(1)Acute: immunizations and infection control

(2)Chronic: heart disease, hypertension, and cancer

c)Diagnosis and treatment

d)Rehabilitation

2)Types of healthcare facilities

a)Hospitals

(1)Delivering patient care

(a)Emergency care

(b)Procedural or surgical care

(c)Specialized care (woman’s hospital, orthopedic hospital, and so on)

(2)Training institutions

(3)Conducting research

(4)Providing patient education

b)Ambulatory healthcare services

(1)Routine, complex,or specialized care

(a)Physician offices

(b)Urgent care centers

(c)Chronic pain clinics

(d)Same-day surgery centers, infusion centers, dialysis, and so on

(2)Most frequent contact people have with the health care system

c)Rehabilitation services

(1)Skilled nursing and long-term care centers

(2)Chemical dependency

d)Mental health services

(1)Inpatient

(2)Outpatient

e)Public healthcare services

(1)United States Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS)

(2)Local public health departments

(3)Professional organizations, such as the American Cancer Society

3)Healthcare teams

a)Functional teams: focus on specific problems (for example, a coronary team)

b)Patient-centered teams: patient and families as decision makers

Discussion starters

As a student learning about the health care industry, you probably have aspirations of working in a health care structure. In what type of structure would you want to work? What is the focus of this structure? In what capacity would you want to work there? For what reasons did you choose this structure?
In your opinion, what is the most important health care support service? Why? How might the lives of people needing this service be different if that service were unavailable?
What types of health care services and structures have you personally used? Describe your experiences.

Week 3 Faculty Notes

Patient Health Data and Technology

Identify components of a patient’s health care record.
Examine the influence of technology and reform in the health care industry.

week 3 Curriculum design notes

As with the Week 1 writing assignment, this week’s Newspaper Article assignment is not an APA essay. Students should write as if they are writing to an audience with little to no knowledge of the subject. Students are also asked to include terms from their vocabulary worksheets and readings. These terms should be bolded so you are able to easily identify their use. Ensure that terms are being used accurately.

Content

1.Patient health data and technology

Identify components of a patient’s health care record.

1)Demographics

2)Medical information

a)Health history

b)Diagnosis and treatment of conditions and diseases

c)Medications

d)Lab results

e)Vital signs

3)Legal and payment information

a)HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) information

b)Insurance coverage

4)Managing appointments and consults in a patient’s electronic health care record

a)Scheduling appointments and consults

b)Checking patients in and out at time of an appointment

c)Documenting completed appointments, cancellations, and no-shows

Examine the influence of technology and reform in the health care industry.

1)Evidence-based decisions

a)Clinical developments

(1)Infection control

(2)Less invasive surgical treatments

(3)Advancements in reproductive technology

(4)Gene therapy for cancer treatment

(5)Improved survival rates for trauma victims

(6)Robotics: surgery, pharmacies, and material services

(7)Telemedicine

b)Information systems

(1)Electronic medical records