Glossary of Healthcare Terms

Accounting Principles: The foundational rules, established assumptions, and core concepts that govern the preparation and presentation of financial statements, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and transparency.
Accounting Software Applications: Computer programs designed to record, process, and report accounting transactions within an organization.
Healthcare Accounting: The specialized field of recording and organizing a healthcare organization's financial information, ensuring the accuracy of the financial data, and generating financial reports.
Insurance Benefits Specialist / Medical Billing Specialist: Professionals who handle insurance claims, verify patient benefits, and process patient or third-party bills for healthcare organizations
Patient Services Representative: A professional who provides administrative support to patients, including scheduling appointments, addressing inquiries, and assisting with billing-related questions.
Payroll Systems: Integrated systems used to manage employee compensation, including wages, salaries, bonuses, and mandatory deductions.
Revenue Billing Specialist / Claims Analyst: Roles focused on accurate billing practices for healthcare services provided, analyzing claims for discrepancies, errors, or potential denials.

Question 6

Healthcare Management

Answer

Accounting Systems: Methods and procedures used to record, classify, summarize, and report financial transactions within a healthcare organization.
Collections: The process of recovering outstanding monies owed from patients or insurance companies for healthcare services and/or equipment provided.
Health Records Management: The collection, storage, organization, and tracking of patients' medical records, also securing them from access by unauthorized individuals.
Healthcare Administration: The overarching management of healthcare organizations and systems, which can include strategic planning, goal development, and the coordination of services and resources.
Healthcare Management: The field focused on the day-to-day business aspects of maintaining and operating a healthcare facility to support efficient workflows and may or may not include supervisory duties.
Leadership and Management: The skills and practices involved in guiding and directing teams, making decisions, and fostering a productive work environment within healthcare organizations and systems.
Medical Billing: The process of submitting claims to insurance companies and sending invoices to patients or other payers for healthcare services and equipment provided.
Medical Office Assistant / Medical Receptionist: Roles focused on administrative tasks in a healthcare facility, and can include greeting patients, answering phones, and managing schedules.
Office Manager / Supervisor: A professional responsible for overseeing the administrative operations of a healthcare office and/or managing staff.
Office Operations: The day-to-day administrative activities required to keep a healthcare facility running smoothly, including scheduling, patient intake, and supply management.

Question 7

Medical Administrative Assistant

Answer

Certification Preparation: Educational support and resources aimed at preparing students to sit for industry-recognized certification examinations, such as the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exam, if eligible.¹
Coding Systems: Standardized medical coding systems used to identify patients' diagnoses, medical procedures, and other services and/or equipment received for purposes of billing, statistical analysis, and administrative record-keeping.
Insurance Benefits Specialist / Medical Billing Specialist: Professionals who manage insurance claims, verify patient eligibility and benefits, and oversee the billing process for healthcare organizations.
Medical Administrative Assistant: A healthcare professional responsible for front-desk operations in medical facilities, including scheduling appointments, managing insurance claims, and maintaining health records.
Medical Office Assistant / Medical Receptionist: Administrative roles within a medical office that typically involve greeting patients, managing phone communications, and organizing appointment schedules.
Medical Records Management: The process of creating, storing, updating, organizing, and tracking patients' medical records within a healthcare organization.
Medical Transcription: The process of converting dictated medical reports, often from physicians, into written documents with accuracy.
Patient Care Assistant / Technician: A healthcare support role that assists patients with daily living activities and provides basic care under the supervision of a licensed healthcare professional.

Question 8

Medical Billing and Coding

Answer

AAPC (American Academy of Professional Coders): A professional organization that provides education, training, and certification for medical coders, setting industry standards.
Certified Professional Coder (CPC): A certification offered by the AAPC, demonstrating a professional's proficiency in medical coding practices.¹
Diagnostic Codes: Codes used to classify diseases, disorders, injuries, and other health conditions for accurate billing and public health statistical reporting (e.g., ICD codes).
Medical Biller / Coder: A specialized professional who submits medical claims for reimbursement and/or translates complex medical information into standardized codes for billing purposes.
Medical Billing: The administrative process of submitting claims to insurance companies or other payers for reimbursement of medical services rendered and/or medical equipment supplied to patients.
Medical Coding: The translation of healthcare diagnoses, procedures, medical services, and equipment into standardized universal alphanumeric codes.
Procedure Codes: Codes used to classify medical procedures, surgeries, and diagnostic tests performed by healthcare providers (e.g., CPT codes).

Question 9

Medical Office and Billing Specialist

Answer

Administrative Tasks: Office duties that can include scheduling appointments, organizing patient records, handling correspondence, and managing office supplies, supporting smooth operations.
Basic Medical Coding: The application of standardized alphanumeric codes to diagnoses, procedures, and other medical equipment and services for both billing purposes and the collection of healthcare data.
Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS): A professional certification that signifies an individual's expertise in both medical billing and coding, awarded by organizations like the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).¹
Insurance Billing: The process of submitting claims to insurance companies to secure reimbursement for medical equipment and services delivered to patients, in addition to billing patients and/or third parties for their portion of the expense.
Medical Office and Billing Specialist: A healthcare professional who performs a combination of administrative tasks and medical billing functions within a healthcare facility.

Question 10

Patient Care Technician

Answer

Administrative Duties (for PCTs, specifically): Tasks such as managing patient information, scheduling appointments, and handling medical records.
Body Systems: The various organ systems of the human body (e.g., circulatory, respiratory, nervous systems).
Certified Patient Care Technician / Assistant: A certification that signifies a professional's proficiency in patient care, and is offered by organizations like the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).¹
Certified Phlebotomy Technician: A certification for phlebotomy technicians, who specialize in drawing blood from patients for diagnostic testing, with some institutions offering certification prep as part of their PCT program.¹
Diagnostic Equipment: Medical devices used to diagnose illnesses or conditions, such as EKG machines.
EKG (Electrocardiogram): A test that records the electrical signals of the heart to detect heart conditions.
Lab Work: Basic laboratory tests and specimen collection for analysis.
Pathology: The study of the causes and effects of diseases.
Patient Care Technician (PCT): A healthcare professional who supports doctors, nurses, and other staff in providing compassionate patient care. Duties may include taking vital signs, completing lab work, assisting patients with daily activities, and performing administrative tasks.
Vital Signs: Measurements of the body's basic functions, including temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure.

Question 11

Pharmacy Technician

Answer

Anatomy and Physiology: The study of the structural organization of the human body (anatomy) and the functions of its various parts and systems (physiology).
Externship: A short-term training program within a professional workplace, typically as part of an academic curriculum, to provide practical, hands-on experience.
Inventory Management: The process of overseeing and controlling the ordering, storage, and utilization of pharmaceutical products and supplies within a pharmacy setting.
Pharmacist: A licensed healthcare professional qualified to dispense medications, provide expert advice on drug interactions, dosages, and side effects for safe and effective drug therapy.
Pharmacology: The scientific study of drugs, encompassing their origins, chemical properties, biological effects, and therapeutic uses, as well as their adverse reactions.
Pharmacy Technician: A healthcare professional who works under the supervision of a pharmacist, assisting with dispensing prescription medications, managing pharmacy inventory, and interacting with customers.
Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination (PTCE): A standardized examination administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) to assess the competency of pharmacy technicians.¹

Question 12

Phlebotomy Technician

Answer

Blood Collection Procedures: Techniques and protocol for safely and effectively drawing blood samples, including venipuncture and capillary puncture.
Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT): A certification offered through organizations like the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), signifying a professional's proficiency in phlebotomy.¹
Externship: A supervised practical training experience in a real-world healthcare setting, providing hands-on experience.
Medical Terminology: Specialized vocabulary used in the medical field to describe conditions, procedures, instruments, and more.
Phlebotomy Technician: A healthcare professional trained to draw blood for testing, transfusions, donations, or research, calming patients to provide a comfortable process.
Specimen Handling: Procedures for collecting, labeling, processing, and transporting blood samples to ensure their integrity for testing.

Glossary of Healthcare Terms

Clinical Medical Assistant

Dental Assistant With Expanded Functions

Health and Human Services

Health Information Management

Healthcare Accounting

Healthcare Management

Medical Administrative Assistant

Medical Billing and Coding

Medical Office and Billing Specialist

Patient Care Technician

Pharmacy Technician

Phlebotomy Technician

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