Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Acronyms in healthcare
Introduction
The following is a partial list of acronyms commonly used in health care. The terms listed are used within the health care systems of various countries.
A list of medical abbreviations is also available.
Template:Col-2
A
A
- AAHSA American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
- AAMC American Association of Medical Colleges
- AAPCC adjusted average per capita cost
- AAPS American Association of Physicians and Surgeons
- ABMT autologous bone marrow transplant
- ACS American Cancer Society
- ACF administration for children and families
- ADA American Dietetic Association
- ADA American Dental Association
- ADA American Diabetes Association
- ADA Americans with Disabilities Act
- ADL activities of daily living
- ADR adverse drug reaction
- ADMIRAL Abciximab before Direct Angioplasty and Stenting in Myocardial Infarction Regarding Acute and Long-term follow-up
- AFDC aid to families with dependent children
- AFMA African Medical Association
- AHA American Hospital Association
- AHA American Heart Association
- AHCA American Health Care Association
- AHEC area health education center
- AHIP America’s Health Insurance Plans
- AHRQ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
- AMANET African Malaria Network Trust
- AMGA American Medical Group Association
- ANA American Nurses Association
- AOA American Optometric Association
- AOA American Osteopathic Association
- APA Administrative Procedures Act
- APA American Psychiatric Association
- APA American Pharmaceutical Association
- APC ambulatory payment classification
- APDRG All Patient Diagnosis Related Groups
- APHA American Public Health Association
- APHA American Protestant Hospital Association
- ASA American Society of Anesthesiology
- ASC Ambulatory Surgery Center
- ASO Administrative Service Organization
- ASPV Average systolic peak velocity
- ASTHO Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
- AWP average wholesale price
B
B
C
C
- CAD Coronary Artery Disease
- CAH Critical Access Hospital
- CAHPS Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems
- CAP Community Action Program or Community Access Program
- CAT Computerized Axial Tomography
- CBO Congressional Budget Office
- CCA Cost Consequence Analysis
- CCHP Consumer Choice Health Plan
- CCU Coronary Care Unit or Critical Care Unit
- CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- CERTs Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics
- CEO Campaign to End Obesity
- CHAMPUS Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services
- CHC Community Health Center
- CHMIS Community Health Management Information System
- CMA Cost Minimization Analysis
- CME Continuing Medical Education
- CMHC Community Mental Health Center
- CMP Competitive Medical Plan
- CMS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- CNA Certified Nursing Assistant
- COB Coordination of Benefits
- COBRA Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
- COG Council of Governments
- COI Cost of Illness Analysis
- COLA cost of living allowance
- COMPASS Community Participation for Action in the Social Sector (Nigeria)
- CON Certificate of Need
- CONQUEST Computerized Needs-Oriented Quality Measurement Evaluation System
- COPC Community Oriented Primary Care
- COPD Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- COTH Council of Teaching Hospitals
- CPA Certified Public Accountant
- CPHA Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities
- CPI Consumer Price Index
- CPOE Computerized Physician Order Entry or Computerized Prescription Order Entry
- C-PORT Cardiovascular Patients Outcomes Research Team
- CPR Customary, Prevailing, and Reasonable or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
- CPT-4 Current Procedural Terminology, Forth Edition
- CQuIPS Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
- CRVS California Relative Value Studies
- CT Computerized Tomographic (scanners)
D
D
- DANAMI Danish Multicenter Randomized study on fibrinolytic therapy versus Acute Coronary Angioplasty in Acute Myocardial Infarction
- DD Developmental Disability
- DDS Doctor of Dental Surgery
- DEA Drug Enforcement Agency
- DDM Doctor of Dental Medicine
- DHHS Department of Health and Human Services
- DME Durable Medical Equipment
- DMO Disease Management Organization
- DO Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
- DRG Diagnosis Related Group
- DSE Dobutamine stress echocardiography
- DSH Disproportionate Share Hospital
- DTC Direct to Consumer
- DUR Drug Utilization Review
- DVM Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
E
E
- EBM Evidence-Based Medicine
- ECF extended care facility
- EDI Electronic Data Interchange
- EMERALD Enhanced Myocardial Efficacy and Recovery by Aspiration of Liberated Debris
- EMS Emergency Medical Services
- EPA Exclusive Provider Arrangement
- EPA Environmental Protection Agency
- EPC Evidence-Based Practice Center
- EPSDT Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program
- ER Emergency Room
- ERISA Employee Retirement Income Security Act
- ESRD End Stage Renal Disease
- ET Expenditure Target
F
F
- FACCT The Foundation for Accountability
- FAH Federation of American Hospitals
- FDA Food and Drug Administration
- FEHBP Federal Employees Health Benefits Program
- FICA Federal Insurance Contributions Act
- FIPH Fellow International Public Health , honoris
- FMG Foreign Medical Graduate
- FNP Family Nurse Practitioner
- FPL Federal Poverty Level
- FTC Federal Trade Commission
- FTT Fibrinolysis Therapy Trialists
- FQHC Federally Qualified Health Center
- FY Fiscal Year
G
G
- GAP Government Accountability Office
- GDP Gross Domestic Product
- GHAA Group Health Association of America
- GME Graduate Medical Education
- GOS General Ophthalmic Services
- GP General Practitioner
- GUSTO Global Use of Strategies to Open Occluded Coronary Arteries in Acute Coronary Syndromes
H
H
- HCBS Home and Community Based Services
- HCFA Health Care Financing Association (Precursor to CMS)
- HCUP-QIs Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Quality Indicators
- HEDIS Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set
- HIFA Health Insurance Flexibility and Accountability
- HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
- HIPC Health Insurance Purchasing Cooperative
- HMO Health Maintenance Organization
- HMSA Health Manpower Shortage Area
- HPSAs Health Professional Shortage Areas
- HRQL Health Related Quality of Life
- HRSA Health Resources and Services Administration
- HSA Health Systems Agency; Health Savings Account or Health Service Area
- HTA Health Technology Assessment
I
I
- IADL Instrumental Activities of Daily Living
- IBNR Incurred But Not Reported
- IC Intracoronary
- ICD-9-CM International Classification of Diseases Version 9, Clinical Modifications
- ICDA International Classification of Diseases, Adopted
- ICF Intermediate Care Facility
- ICH Intracranial hemorrhage
- ICU Intensive Care Unit
- ICF/MR Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded
- ICPC International Classification of Primary Care
- IHI Institute for Healthcare Improvement
- IMG International Medical Graduate
- IOM Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of the Sciences
- IPA Independent Practice Association
- IPHF International Public Health Forum
- ISN Integrated Services Network
J
J
- JAMA Journal of the American Medical Association
- JCAHO Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
- JIPHF Journal of International Public Health Forum
K
K
L
L
- LIS Low Income Subsidy
- LOS Length of Stay
- LPN Licensed Practical Nurse
- LSC Life Safety Code
- LTC Long Term Care
- LVEF Left ventricular ejection fraction
- LVN Licensed Vocational Nurse
- LVRS Lung Volume Reduction Surgery
M
M
- MA Medicare Advantage
- MAAC Maximum Allowable Actual Charge
- MAF Medical Assistance Facility
- MAP Medical Audit Program
- MAPD Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plan
- MBG Myocardial blush grade
- MCE Myocardial contrast echocardiography
- MCAT Medical College Admission Test
- MCH Maternal and Child Health Program
- MCO Managed Care Organization
- MEDLARS Medical Literature and Analysis Retrieval System
- MedPAC Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
- MEPS Medical Expenditure Panel Survey
- MET Multiple Employer Trust
- MEWA Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement
- MDH Medicare-dependent Hospital
- MMIS Medical Management Information System
- MMRA Metropolitan Medical Response System
- MRHFP Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program
- MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- MSA Medical Savings Account or Metropolitan Statistical Area
- MUA/MUPs Medically Underserved Areas/Populations
N
N
- NACo National Association of Counties
- NACCHO National Association of County and City Health Officials
- NCHS National Center for Health Statistics
- NASHP National Academy for State Health Policy
- NASMD National Association of State Medical Directors
- NCQA National Committee for Quality Assurance
- NEJM New England Journal of Medicine (standard PubMed abbreviation is N Engl J Med)
- NGA National Governors Association
- NGC National Guidelines Clearinghouse
- NHS National Health Service
- NHSC National Health Savings Corps
- NICU Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
- NIH National Institutes of Health
- NIMH National Institute of Mental Health
- NIOSH National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
- NLM National Library of Medicine
- NMA Nigerian Medical Association
- NMF Nigerian Medical Forum
- NP Nurse Practitioner
- NPRM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
- NPS National Pharmaceutical Stockpile
- NRHA National Rural Health Association
- NRMI National Registry of Myocardial Infarction
O
O
- OAA Old Age Assistance
- OASDHI Old Age Survivors, Disability, and Health Insurance Program
- OAT Occluded artery trial
- OBRA Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
- ODS Organized Delivery System
- OMB Office of Management and Budget
- OPD Outpatient Department
- OPHP Office of Public Health Preparedness
- OSHA Occupational Health and Safety Administration
P
P
- PA Physician Assistant
- PAHO Pan American Health Organization
- PAMI Primary angioplasty in Acute Myocardial Infarction
- PASSION Paclitaxel-Eluting Stent versus Conventional Stent in Myocardial Infarction with ST-Segment Elevation
- PBM Pharmacy Benefits Manager
- PCCM Primary Care Case Management
- PCI Percutaneous coronary intervention
- PCP Primary Care Physician
- PCT NHS Primary Care Trust
- PDI Professional Development Institute
- PDP Prescription Drug Plan
- PDQS Partnership Defined Quality of Service *
- PHO Physician-Hospital Organization
- PHS Public Health Service
- PIAPHP Partners in Information Access for Public Health Professionals
- PMPM Per Member Per Month
- PPA Preferred Provider Arrangement
- PPCI Primary percutaneous coronary intervention
- PPO Preferred Provider Organization
- PPS Prospective Payment System
- PRAGUE PRimary Angioplasty in patients transferred from General community hospitals to specialized PTCA Units with or without Emergency fibrinolysis
- PSN Provider Sponsored Network
- PSO Provider Sponsored Organization
- PTCA Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
Q
Q
- QALY Quality Adjusted Life Year
- QAPI Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement Program
- QARI Quality Assurance Reform Initiative
- QIO Quality Improvement Organization
- QISMC Quality Improvement System for Managed Care
- QuIC Quality Interagency Coordination Task Force
R
R
- RAN Rural Area Computer Network
- RAPPORT Reopro And Primary PTCA Organization and Randomized Trial
- RBRVS Resource-Based Relative Value Scale
- RCT Randomized Clinical Trial or Randomized Controlled Trial
- RFE Reason for encounter
- RHC Rural Health Clinic
- RIKS-HIA Register of Information and Knowledge about Swedish Heart Intensive care Admissions
- RRC Rural Referral Centers
- RUG Resource Utilization Groups
- RWJF Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
S
S
- SAMSHA Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- SCH Sole Community Hospitals
- SCHIP State Children’s Health Insurance Program
- SDMC Statistical and Data Management Center
- SESAMI Sirolimus-Eluting Stent Versus Bare-Metal Stent in Acute Myocardial Infarction
- SFDA State Food and Drug Administration
- SHEA State Health Expenditure Account
- SK Streptokinase
- SNF Skilled Nursing Facility
- SSI Supplemental Security Income
- SSRI Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor
- STRATEGY Single High Dose Bolus Tirofiban and Sirolimus Eluting Stent vs. Abciximab and Bare Metal Stent in Myocardial Infarction study
- STEMI ST elevation myocardial infarction
- STOP-AMI Stent versus Fibrinolysis for Occluded coronary arteries in patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction
T
T
- TANF Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
- TAPAS Thrombus Aspiration in Percutaneous coronary intervention following Acute myocardial infarction Study.
- TFG TIMI flow grade
- TIMI Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction
- TMPG TIMI myocardial perfusion grade
- TPA Third Party Administrator
- TPA Tissue plasminogen activator
- TUBE Totally Unnecessary Breast Examination
- TVR Target vessel revascularization
U
U
- UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
- USAID United States Agency for International Development
- USP U.S. Pharmacopeia
V
V
- VIRHN Vertically Integrated Rural Health Network