An empowered patient knows the importance of understanding med-speak -- the clinical terms physicians use to explain a treatment, diagnosis, or other piece of medical information. Knowing what these words mean and how they are used will help you navigate the system better, and improve your communication with your health providers.
Definition of epidemiology and an epidemiologist
the definition of herd immunity
definition of the words acute and subacute
The definition of adjuvant therapy.
definition of allopathic medicine
the definition of alternative medicine
apomediation - the definition of apomediation, apomediate, apomediary or apomediator
The definition of balance billing when used in a medical billing context
Definition of black box warning
The definition of CAM, the acronym for complementary and alternative medicine
The definition of catastrophic health insurance
Chemotherapy is a type of drug treatment. Learn the full definition of chemotherapy.
definition of the word chronic
definition of the word comorbidity or comorbid
the definition of complementary medicine
What is a compromised immune system?
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)
Definition of curative care.
cyberchondria, cyberchondriac
the definition of defensive medicine
definition of differential diagnosis
definition of disease management
What is a class of drugs?
EMTALA, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act
What is the difference between a pandemic and an epidemic?
FMLA - The Family Medical Leave Act
What do medical professionals mean by "frequent flyer"?
A generic drug is bioequivalent to a branded, or innovator, drug.
Description of HON, the Health on the Net Foundation
A description of rationing of health care or medical care
HIPAA is the acronym for the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act of the US Federal Government
Definition of Homeopathy, Homeopathic
The definition of integrative medicine
Definitions or descriptions of both Medicine 2.0 and Health 2.0
metastasize, metastasis, metastasized
The National Quality Forum has listed "never events" to help quantify patient safety.
The definition of a nosocomial infections
a definition and description of orphan diseases
definition of orphan drug
Definition of palliative care.
pandemic, pandemic flu, pandemic disease
definition of pedigree as it applies to the pharmaceutical industry, as determined by the FDA
Definition of "peer-reviewed."
Physician extenders are a new category of healthcare providers.
The definition of prognosis
definition of prophylactic care
Learn the definition of quack as used in medicine.
the definition of reimbursement in a healthcare context
definition of "rescission" in a health insurance policy context
definition of somatoform disorders and conversion disorders
definition of standard of care
the definition of step therapy or step protocol when used with pharmaceutical drugs
The definition of telemedicine
definition of therapeutic
the definition of transparency when used in a medical or healthcare framework
definition of "trashcan diagnosis"
Definition of "Woo" or "Woo Woo"
