Glossary

Author: Glossary

  • Recuse

    To reject or challenge an individual’s qualification to serve in a given capacity, usually on the basis of conflict of interest or known bias. Usually used with respect to a judge or juror. Individuals may also recuse themselves voluntarily, to avoid the appearance of impropriety.  

  • Recredentialing

    Determining and certifying as to the competency of a physician or other professional at some time after the initial determination of his or her qualification for licensure or hospital privileges. Recredentialing is required at periodic intervals in some hospitals and health care organizations. It is also under consideration by several states as a procedure to…

  • Reappointment

    The process of formally continuing the medical staff membership of a physician or other health care professional, along with specific privileges. After the initial appointment to the staff, reappointment must take place at regular intervals (usually every year or two). During the reappointment process, the performance of the professional is evaluated, so that a proper…

  • Rationing

    A process of withholding goods or services when they are in short supply. Rationing of health care is, of course, in one sense in effect, since it is not possible to provide all the care which has been proven effective to all the individuals who might benefit from it. In the climate of health care…

  • Ratio of costs to charges

    A method of estimating costs in accounting. There is generally a desire that charges for health care reflect the costs of that care. This is fairly easy to achieve globally, that is, the total costs for a hospital, say, for a year can be ascertained and the charges or reimbursement can be matched to those…

  • Quill pen law

    A law which requires records to be maintained in written, rather than electronic, form.  

  • Quality staircase

    A method of representing the results of quality improvement efforts. Joseph M. Juran in the industrial setting has represented quality improvement as an ever-rising spiral, an inclined plane. The processes involved in making the product or providing the service are constantly monitored and, as opportunities for improvement are identified, changes are made which result in…

  • Quality of life scale

    A method designed to measure the quality of life of an individual, based upon one or more aspects of life and health. More than 50 such measurement methods have been developed. Some investigators have developed weighting methods by which to consolidate the data from a number of scale measurements into a single score for an…

  • Quality of care

    The degree of conformity with accepted principles and practices (standards), the degree of fitness for the patient’s needs, and the degree of attainment of achievable outcomes (results), consonant with the appropriate allocation or use of resources. The phrase “quality of care” carries the concept that quality is not equivalent to “more” or “higher technology” or…

  • Quality management

    Efforts to determine the quality of care, to develop and maintain programs to keep it at an acceptable level (quality control), to institute improvements when the opportunity arises or the care does not meet standards (quality improvement), and to provide, to all concerned, the evidence required to establish confidence that quality is being managed and…