Consumer Health
An umbrella term encompassing topics related to the purchase and consumption of health-related products and services.
Evidence-based medicine
health-care policies and practices based on systematic, scientific study.
Conventional Medicine
allopathic or Western medicine
Medical doctor
Physician trained in conventional medicine, with many years of additional formal education and training and a professional license.
Physician Assistant (P.A.)
A licensed health professional who practices under the supervision of a physician and provides a broad range of care.
Dentist
Specializes in care of the teeth, gums, and mouth.
Optometrist
Licensed professional who provides vision care.
Podiatrist
Licensed professional who specializes in the care of the feet.
Nurse
Licensed professional who provides a wide range of health-care services and supports the work of medical doctors.
Nurse Practitioner
RNs who have undergone additional training and can perform some of the care provided by an MD.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
Health practices and traditions not typically part of conventional Western medicine.
Health contract
contract between an insurance company and a group or individual who pays a fee to have some or all health costs covered by the insurer.
HMO
Health maintenance organization
PPO
Preferred provider organization
POS
Point-of-service plan; HMO consumers see a broader list of providers for an additional fee.
Mini-med Plan
Managed care for younger people
Health discount program
Health discount program is a system of health discounts given to members of groups, such as employees of a particular company or students attending a particular college.
Pre-existing condition
A health issue that existed prior to application to or enrollment in an insurance plan, which insurers sometimes use to restrict care or set the price paid for insurance.
Medicaid
Joint federal-state public insurance program; covers low-income individuals/families.
Medicare
Federal public insurance program; covers people (65 over) with long-term disabilities.
Fee-for-service Plan
Choose your providers; you and your insurer divide the costs of care.
Health savings account (HSA)
Consumer-controlled account; high-deductible, for approved items.
Flexible Spending Account
Consumer- controlled account; uses pre-tax dollars to cover approved health-related purchases.
Personal Genomics
The study of genomes and their effects on health and development.
Genome
The genetic material of any living organism.
Genome sequencing
the full decoding and readout of an entire genome.
Family Health History
Detailed record of health issues in one's family, highlighting shared health risks.
Single-gene testing
Used to identify the risk for a particular genetic illness
Whole-genome scanning
Genetic testing that looks for variants throughout a person's genome to understand genetic risks.
Pharmacogenomics
Use of DNA information to choose medications and make prescribing decisions.