Author: Glossary

Services that are intended to meet all the health care needs of a patient: outpatient, inpatient, home care, and other.  

A health care plan, licensed by the state, which provides health care services to enrolled members on a prepaid, capitated basis. Most often used to refer to an entity (can be an HMO as well as a competitive medical plan) which has met certain requirements of the federal government to be designated as a competitive…

Something for which the law allows money to be awarded to make amends or restore someone to their prior position. Not all types of injury (for example, mental distress suffered by an unusually sensitive person) are compensable. Reimbursable; entitled to or warranting compensation. Payable under the protections granted by worker’s compensation or by other legal…

The Eutaw Group’s alternative to (or complement to) the accountable health plan (AHP) in the health care reform movement (1993). A CCP is expected to carry out a proactive “predict and manage” philosophy; its proponents see the AHP as essentially a “treat and/or prevent what comes in the door” organization. It is directed at “equal…

This term has been adopted as the service mark for Community Care Networks, Inc. and San Diego Community Healthcare Alliance, which reserve all rights to its use. The term is also used (with the service mark indicated) by the American Hospital Association for the kind of community health care organization which it promotes. The service…

A Washington DC-based group which advocates shared responsibility and community-based decision making. A recent paper, “Core Values in Health Care Reform,” proposes that it is important that health care reforms not undermine the culture of care in their pursuit of savings and improvement of access.  

Medical or other health care whose sole or primary purpose is the comfort of the patient. In the Oregon plan, comfort care is defined to include health services which are diagnostic, curative, or focused on active treatment of the primary condition and intended to prolong life. Examples of comfort care include pain medication, hospice services,…

The sharing of power or authority equally among a number of colleagues. In a truly collegial environment, no one individual can be held accountable since no one individual is in charge.  

A legal rule of evidence which prohibits the jury from considering the fact that the plaintiff has been compensated from any source other than the defendant. The practical result is that a medical malpractice defendant may have to pay the full amount of the plaintiff patient’s medical and other expenses, even if the patient has…

A term applied to all the activities of a physician (or other professional) other than the performance of procedures. The charges of physicians are relatively easy to explain in surgery and other instances where “something is done” to the patient. High charges for, say, diagnostic evaluations, patient and family counseling, and the care of patients…