Category: E

To manifest a characteristic that is specified by a gene. With hereditary diseases, for example, a person can carry the gene for such a disease but not actually have the disease. In this case the gene is not “expressed”.  

Exposure prone procedures are those where the health care worker’s fingers and a needle or other sharp object are both in a “poorly visualized or highly confined anatomic site”. 40 MMWR (No. RR-8) 1 (1991). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has promulgated guidelines for health care providers which define exposure prone procedures…

A project which started in 1995 in Utah which combines features of no-fault and enterprise liability systems for compensation for injuries sustained by patients in the health care system. The sponsorship of EPIC is the Utah Alliance for Health Care, a coalition of medical, hospital, business, labor, and other community organizations.  

A clause in a contract which releases a party from liability for its acts. Such clauses are not always enforceable.  

Excusing, clearing from guilt. In some states, clinical practice guidelines can be used as an affirmative defense in a medical malpractice claim if the physician can prove that she or he followed them. The defense is exculpatory in that it can excuse a physician if evidence of compliance is offered and proven. Granting a waiver…

A hospital committee, typically with a broad representation from the medical staff, hospital administration, nursing, the clergy, social services, and others, which is concerned with education of hospital personnel on biomedical ethical issues and decision making processes, formulation of institutional policies on medical-ethical issues (for example, “do not resuscitate” policies), and with review of and…

An independent nonprofit corporation providing education and other services for the health care community. EPTs main programs are national conferences for hospital medical staff officers, hospital and other health care administrator and trustees, and their spouses.  

A term sometimes used to include some of the services in the institution which are involved in providing for the patients, employees, and visitors a “clean” environment. It may include housekeeping, laundry, and solid and liquid waste control; however, maintenance, radiation protection, and air conditioning, for example, are unlikely to be included in this term.…

A branch of internal medicine. One of the medical specialties for which residency programs have been approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).  

The medical specialty which deals with “travel medicine”, that is, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases encountered in travel.