Health Care Terms

From The Critics

Reviewer: (Northwestern University)
Description: This is a dictionary arrangement of terms, acronyms and definitions from the U.S. healthcare field. The third, comprehensive edition replaces the second (1991) edition, as well as Health Care Reform Terms (1993) and Health Care Terms, Healthy Communities Edition (1996).
Purpose: It is the authors' intent to provide definitions for basic and advanced terminology for those overwhelmed by the jargon in the healthcare field. This dictionary meets that need by providing clear, understandable definitions.
Audience: The book is designed for trustees, physicians, hospital administrators, and lay persons. The authors' expertise in medicine, healthcare administration, public health, and law helps them translate the jargon into the language of their audience.
Features: The dictionary makes extensive use of "see" and "see also" references, synonyms, and even World Wide Web addresses. Certain specific phrases are subsumed under general terms, such as school nurse practitioner under practitioner. Acronyms are posted individually and as part of the actual phrase. Commonly used pronunciations for acronyms, such as "hick-picks" for HCPCS, are included. There are a few illustrations in black-and-white. Four appendixes are included: "Tracking Down Information," "Timeline of U.S. Health Care (1630-1993)," "Health Care Reform," and "Select Bibliography." Web addresses allow access to the most up-to-date information. Even the authors have a web address to keep definitions updated.
Assessment: This new edition doubles the number of definitions of the preceding edition, offers easy-to-understand definitions, and provides a clear path through the acronym alphabet jungle. It would be a useful resource in the institutional or personal library of anyone working in, or trying to make sense of, today's healthcare field.

Northwestern University

This is a dictionary arrangement of terms, acronyms and definitions from the U.S. healthcare field. The third, comprehensive edition replaces the second (1991) edition, as well as Health Care Reform Terms (1993) and Health Care Terms, Healthy Communities Edition (1996). It is the authors' intent to provide definitions for basic and advanced terminology for those overwhelmed by the jargon in the healthcare field. This dictionary meets that need by providing clear, understandable definitions. The book is designed for trustees, physicians, hospital administrators, and lay persons. The authors' expertise in medicine, healthcare administration, public health, and law helps them translate the jargon into the language of their audience. The dictionary makes extensive use of "see" and "see also" references, synonyms, and even World Wide Web addresses. Certain specific phrases are subsumed under general terms, such as school nurse practitioner under practitioner. Acronyms are posted individually and as part of the actual phrase. Commonly used pronunciations for acronyms, such as "hick-picks" for HCPCS, are included. There are a few illustrations in black-and-white. Four appendixes are included: "Tracking Down Information," "Timeline of U.S. Health Care (1630-1993)," "Health Care Reform," and "Select Bibliography." Web addresses allow access to the most up-to-date information. Even the authors have a web address to keep definitions updated. This new edition doubles the number of definitions of the preceding edition, offers easy-to-understand definitions, and provides a clear path through the acronym alphabet jungle. It would be a usefulresource in the institutional or personal library of anyone working in, or trying to make sense of, today's healthcare field.

Booknews

A new edition of the plain language dictionary covering terminology not ordinarily found in standard medical references, such as the definition for "cherry picking" (when an insurer covers people who are healthy, and drops anyone who gets sick). The entries include acronyms and organizations, and the volume also features four appendices supplying a timeline of US Health Care, advice on tracking down medical information, issues in health care reform, and a bibliography. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

3 Stars from Doody