Health Care Facility
A places designed to care for sick populations, i.e., hospitals, clinics, doctor's office.
General hospital
A facility that provide short term care to a wide range of medical, surgical, and emergency populations.
Specialty hospital
A facility providing care for special populations, including psychiatric and chronic disease populations.
Convalescent centers
facilities providing care to elderly or geriatric patients. These centers are known as nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
Ambulatory care
A facility providing outpatient services that do not require an overnight stay.
Rehabilitation center
A facility providing outpatient support for individuals requiring therapy services such as speech, occupational or physical therapy.
Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO)
An organization that provides health
care to voluntarily enrolled individuals and families by member physicians with limited referral to outside specialists. Services include hospitalizations, wellness, checkups and education.
Home healthcare
An agency providing services to patients in there home, including nursing, therapy services and personal care.
Hospice
An agency providing care for terminally ill individuals either in the individuals home or as a specialty hospital.
World Health Organization (WHO)
An international public health agency
sponsored by the United Nations, responsibilities include providing global leadership through health research and statistical analysis of serious health
problems throughout the world.
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS)
The United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and
providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
A division of the USDHHS; Responsible for
medical research on diseases.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
A division of the USDHHS with the core responsibilities of detecting and responding to new and emerging health threats.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
A federal agency responsible for the approval and regulation of food, drugs and devices sold to the public and used for medical treatment.
Agency for Health Research and Quality: (AHRQ)
A division of the USDHHS with the core responsibilities of providing research that helps people make more informed decisions and improve the quality of health care services.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
A federal agency responsible for setting and enforcing standards that assure safe and healthful
working conditions for employees.
Non-Profit agency
An agency supported by donations, fee for services, federal or state grants (American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, March of
Dimes).
Preferred provider organization (PPO)
A health insurance option that restricts
healthcare access to specific hospital(s) and doctor(s) at a discounted rate.
Medicare
The Federal government program providing coverage for individuals over the age of 65, a select disability population, and those with end stage renal disease (ESRD).
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
A 2010 law establishing a goal to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable quality care while containing the cost required to deliver care.
TRICARE
Health care program military service members.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)
A law that provides patients more control over their health information, set limits on the use
and release of personal medical records, and established a series of privacy standards for health care providers which provides penalties for those who do not follow these standards.
Managed care
A system of care in which patients agree to seek treatment from contracted physicians and to seek approval for payment prior to treatment as a
method to control cost.
Workers Compensation
Health insurance plan providing care for those that are injured while on the job.