Glossary of Healthcare Terms

D.D.S. and D.M.D. degrees are awarded to candidates after completion of a dental program. D.D.S. and D.M.D. degrees are functionally identical: the scope of practice for D.D.S. and D.M.D. practitioners is the same, and both programs use identical curriculum requirements set by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.

Those beneficiaries that are eligible for benefits under both the Medicare and Medicaid programs, traditionally consisting of older, poor, costly patients with lower health status

Equipment that serves a medical purpose, can withstand repeated use, is not particularly useful in the absence of injury and illness, and is appropriate for home use. Includes specialized beds, wheelchairs, and prosthetics for home use.

Durable medical equipment (DME) is medical equipment designed to improve the quality of life of patients with illnesses or injuries, and must be able to withstand repeated use; primarily serve a medical purpose; and, generally not be useful to a person lacking an injury or illness.

Submitting drug prescriptions to pharmacies via an electronic system.

An interest in land owned by another person, consisting in the right to use or control the land, or an area above or below it, for a specific limited purpose.

A school of medicine that uses herbal medicines and remedies to treat pathologic conditions; among less threatening therapies, eclectics were branded for their use of arsenic and mercury treatments.

A type of benchmarking that concerns itself with research in market forces or comparison of business operation efficiency based on economic principles in a particular market.

"Relationship between the price of a healthcare item or service and the quantity demanded."

"Relationship between the price of a healthcare good, product, or service and the quantity provided my medical sellers."

“An electronic record of health-related information on an individual that comes to nationally recognized interoperability stands and that can be created, managed, and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff across more than one health care organization.”

“An electronic record of health-related information on an individual that can be created, gathered, managed, and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff within one health care organization.”

Physicians involved in the practice of emergency medicine, which involves treating patients on an unscheduled basis with episodic or acute conditions.

Healthcare organizations that develop in response to changes in market, regulation, and reimbursement.

Physicians, hospitals, healthcare systems, clinics, and payors who are innovating, integrating, or merging because of the constant competitive influx of the healthcare industry.