Glossary of Rural Health Terminology
A
AAA
Area Agency on Aging: Local councils set up to conduct planning and review of aging services. Usually operated by a county or Council of Government (COG) - see COG entry below.
ACSC
Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions
AFDC
Aid to Families with Dependent Children
AFS
Adult and Family Services: Division of the Oregon Department of Human Resources
AHEC
AHEC-SW
Area Health Education Center-Southwest
AMA
ANA
ANP
Adult Nurse Practitioner
B
BBA
Balanced Budget Act of 1997
BHCDA
Bureau of Health Care Delivery and Assistance: See BPHC.
Block Grant
Type of grant that confers responsibility for Federal programs to individual states which then have substantial discretion as to the use of the Federal grant dollars. Under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (P.L. 97-35), seven block grant programs were established, including a primary care block grant. At the option of each state, the state may apply for a primary care block grant which includes the Community Health Center and the Primary Care Research and Demonstration programs.
BME
Board of Medical Examiners
BPHC
Bureau of Primary Health Care: (Bureau of Health Care Delivery and Assistance) The Federal government bureau within the Health Resources and Services Administration, Public Health Service, DHHS responsible for administering several of the community health programs of the former Bureau of Community Health Services, including the Community Health Center program, the Migrant Health Program, and the Maternal and Child Health Program. BHCDA Also administers the National Health Service Corps and Health Services Scholarships programs.
C
CAH
CCCHD
Columbia County Citizens for Human Dignity
CEAHEC
Cascades East Area Health Education Center
CHC
Community Health Center: A Federally funded (Section 330 of the Public Health Services Act) primary care clinic.
CHIP
CLHO
Conference of Local Health Officials: (pronounced clo). The Oregon statewide organization of county health department officials.
CMHC
Community Mental Health Center
CMS
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
CN, CON
Certificate of Need
CNA
Certified Nursing Assistant
CNM
Certified Nurse Midwife
COG
Council of Government: A regional grouping of county governments to coordinate planning and other regional activities.
CoP
Condition of Participation
CPNP
Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
CPT
Common Procedural Terminology
CRNA
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
D
DC
Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine
DDS
Doctor of Dental Surgery
DHHS
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Formerly called the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and still often referred to as DHEW or HEW.
DHS
Oregon Department of Human Services: Oregon department which contains divisions covering the range of health and social services.
DMAP
Division of Medical Assistance Programs (under the Oregon Health Authority)
DMD
Doctor of Medical Dentistry
DME
Durable Medical Equipment
DO
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
DPM
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
DRG
DSH
E
EACH
Essential Access Community Hospital
EMS
Emergency Medical Services: Services provided by or through ambulances, other quick response units, personnel, equipment communications systems, etc. to deal with medical emergencies.
EMT
Emergency Medical Technician: A paramedical professional trained in emergency medicine.
EPSDT
F
FHIAP
Family Health Insurance Assistance Program
FFS
Fee for Service
Flex
Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program
FNP
Family Nurse Practitioner
FP
Family Medical Practitioner
FPL
Federal Poverty Level
FQHC
Federally Qualified Health Center
FTE
Full Time Equivalent: A measure of the number of staff in an agency; one FTE = one person working 40 hours per week.
H
HCFA
Health Care Financing Administration: The Federal agency which was responsible for administering the Medicare program and compiling various data on health care finances. This agency was replaced by CMS.
HHA
Home Health Agency
HHS
See: DHHS
HIPAA
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
HIT
Health Information Technology
HMO
Health Maintenance Organization
HMSA
Health Manpower Shortage Area: (pronounced him sa) An area designated by the Secretary of DHHS as having an acute shortage of health providers and/or dentists and, therefore eligible for placement of appropriate NHSC providers. The criteria for designation are updated periodically, with the most recent criteria published in the Federal Register, Vol. 46, No. 89, Part II, May 8, 1981.
HPSA
Health Professional Shortage Area
HRSA
Health Resources and Services Administration: (pronounced "hersa"), Part of DHHS
L
LTC
Long Term Care
M
MAF
Medical Assistance Facility
MCH
Maternal and Child Health: A program of health care for which federal and state funds are available.
MD
Doctor of Medicine
Medicaid
Authorized by Title XIX of the Social Security Act, Medicaid is a Federally assisted program, operated and administered by the individual states, which provides medical benefits for eligible low-income persons. The States define covered benefits, eligibility, rates of payment to providers and methods of program administration.
Medicare
Title XVIII of the Social Security Act of 1965 which helps pay for medical and health services for persons age 65 and over and persons who are disabled. The major benefits of this legislation include physician services, hospital care, home care, extended care, and facility coverage for a defined period of time. This program is financed through Social Security deductions from employee/employer payrolls and is handled through national trust funds.
MHC
Migrant Health Center: Federally funded (Section 329 Public Health Service Act) primary care clinic in a high migrant impact area.
MRHFP
Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program. See Flex.
MSA
Metropolitan Statistical Area
MSFW
Migrant/Seasonal Farm Workers
MSP
Medicare Secondary Payor
MUA
Medically Underserved Area: Designation for precondition to receiving community health center federal grant monies.
MUP
Medically Underserved Population
N
ND
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
NEOAHEC
Northeast Oregon Area Health Education Center
NHSC
National Health Service Corps: A program by which recent medical graduates are placed in HMSAs.
NP
Nurse Practitioner
NRHA
O
OAFP
Oregon Academy of Family Physicians
OAHHS
Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems
OAR
OB
Obstetrics
OB/GYN
Obstetrics/Gynecology
OD
Doctor of Optometry
ODA
OEMSA
Oregon Emergency Medical Services Association
OHA
OHP
OHSU
Oregon Health & Science University
OMA
ONA
OP AHEC
Oregon Pacific Area Health Education Center
OPCA
Oregon Primary Care Association
ORH
ORHA
Oregon Rural Health Association
ORHQN
Oregon Rural Healthcare Quality Network
ORPRN
Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network
ORS
Oregon Revised Statues: The compendium of state law in Oregon.
OSPA
Oregon Society of Physician Assistants
OT
Occupational Therapist
P
PA
Physician Assistant
PCCM
Primary Care Case Manager
PCP
Primary Care Practitioner
PHS
U.S. Public Health Service: A principal operating component of DHHS concerned with administering public health programs, including the Indian Health Service, biomedical research, health manpower training, family planning, emergency medical services, health maintenance organizations, community health programs, and health planning.
PNP
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
POLST
Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment
PPO
Preferred Provider Organization
PPRC
Physician Payment Review Commission
PPS
Prospective Payment System Primary Care Basic level of health care usually rendered by general practitioners, family practitioners, internists, obstetricians, and pediatricians, and, more recently, midlevel practitioners. This type of care emphasizes caring for the patient's general health needs as opposed to a more specialized or fragmented approach to medical care. This care is usually rendered in an outpatient setting.
PRO
Professional Standards and Review Organization: Local organizations set up by a federal program to review and monitor the quality and effectiveness of health services.
PSA
- Physician Scarcity Area
- Public Service Announcement
PT
Physical Therapist
R
RAC
RBEG
Rural Business Enterprise Grant
RBRVS
Resource-Based, Relative Value System
RCHC
Rural Community Health Clerkship
RHC
RHC Act
Establishes a reimbursement mechanism to support the provision of primary care services in rural areas. Public Law 95-210 was enacted in 1977 and authorizes the expanded use of physician assistants, nurse practitioners and certified nurse practitioners; extends Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement to designated clinics; and raises Medicaid reimbursement levels to those set by Medicare.
RHCC
Rural Health Coordinating Council: A group created by the 1979 Oregon Legislature, staffed by the Office of Rural Health within OHSU which looks at ways of providing health services to rural areas and distributed funds to rural areas.
RHW
RIC
RNO
ROI
RPCH
Rural Primary Care Hospital
RUCA
Rural Urban Commuting Area Codes
Rural Hospital
A hospital characterized by one of the following:
- Type A: small and remote, have less than 50 beds, and more than 30 miles from the nearest hospital.
- Type B: small and rural, have less than 50 beds, and 30 miles or less from the nearest hospital.
- Type C: considered rural and have 50 or more beds.
S
SAIF
SCH
Sole Community Hospital
Section 329
The section of the Public Health Service Act which authorizes the Migrant Health Program.
Section 330
The section of the Public Health Service Act which authorizes the Community Health Center Program.
Section 501 (c)(3) of the IRS Code
The section of the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) Code that defines the Federal income tax exempt status of non-profit organizations that are organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, scientific and/or literary purposes. To qualify as a Section 501 (c)(3) organization, no part of the organization's net earnings can be used to the benefit of private share holders or individuals, nor can the organizations engage in the carrying on of propaganda or other activities to influence legislation. All donations to such organizations are deductible as charitable contributions. Other requirements presented in Section 501 (c)(3) may be reviewed by checking the IRS Code.
Service Area
The geographical area served by a health care facility.
Sliding Fee Scale
A schedule of discounts in charges for services which is based on the consumer's ability to pay, according to income and family size. Bureau of Health Care Delivery and assistance programs, such as the Community Health Center program, require that projects have sliding fee scales based upon the Federal government poverty guidelines.
SORH
State Office of Rural Health
SORHN
Southeastern Oregon Rural Health Network: A consortia of clinics in Bly, Chiloquin, and North Lake.
T
Third Party Payer (or Payor)
An insurance company, such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, that pays for hospital and doctor bills and certain other health care services for subscribers. (First party - patient; second party - provider of service). Payment from these payors is commonly referred to as third party reimbursement.
Title XVIII
Title XVIII of the Social Security Act which authorizes the Medicare Program.
Title XIX
Title XIX of the Social Security Act which authorizes the Medicaid Program.
W
WHCNP
Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner
WIC
Women, Infants and Children program: (pronounced wick) A Federally-funded nutrition program for women, infants and children operated in many Oregon counties.
