Paul M. Insel,
Stanford University, School of Medicine
Walton T. Roth,
Stanford University, School of Medicine
| *medical doctor | An independent practitioner who holds a doctor of medicine degree from an accredited medical school.
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| *podiatrist | A practitioner who holds a doctor of podiatric medicine degree and specializes in the medical and surgical care of the feet.
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| *optometrist | A practitioner who holds a doctor of optometry degree and is trained to examine the eyes, detect eye diseases, and prescribe corrective lenses.
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| *dentist | A practitioner who holds a doctor of medical dentistry or doctor of dental surgery degree and who specializes in the prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries of the teeth, mouth, and jaws.
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| *acupuncture | Insertion of long, thin needles into the skin at points along meridians, pathways through which qi is believed to flow; needles correct imbalances in qi; a practice common in traditional Chinese medicine.
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| *homeopathy | An alternative medical system of Western origin in which illnesses are treated by giving very small doses of drugs that in larger doses in a healthy person would produce symptoms like those of the illness.
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| *chiropractic | A system of manual healing most frequently used to treat musculoskeletal problems; the primary treatment is manipulation of the spine and other joints. Practitioners hold a doctor of chiropractic degree and are licensed.
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| false positive | A test result that incorrectly detects a disease or condition in a healthy person.
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| false negative | A test result that fails to correctly detect a disease or condition.
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| over-the-counter (OTC) medication | A medication or product that can be purchased by the consumer without a prescription.
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| generic drug | A drug that is not registered or protected by a trademark; a drug that does not have a brand name.
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| endoscopy | A medical procedure in which a viewing instrument is inserted into a body cavity or opening. Specific procedures are named for the area viewed: inside joints (arthroscopy), inside airways (bronchoscopy), inside the abdominal cavity (laparoscopy), and inside the lower portion of the large intestine, or sigmoid colon (sigmoidoscopy).
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| antibiotic | A substance derived from a mold or bacterium that inhibits the growth of other microorganisms.
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| mortality rate | The number of deaths occurring in a population of a given size in a given time period.
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| morbidity rate | The number of illnesses or injuries occurring in a population of a given size in a given time period.
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| outpatient | A person receiving medical attention without being admitted to the hospital.
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| managed-care plan | A health care program that integrates the financing and delivery of services by using designated providers, utilization review, and financial incentives for following the plan's policies; HMO, PPO, and POS are examples of managed-care plans.
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| health maintenance organization (HMO) | A prepaid health insurance plan in which patients receive health care from designated providers.
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| preferred provider organization (PPO) | A prepaid health insurance plan in which providers agree to deliver services for discounted fees; patients can go to any provider, but using nonparticipating providers results in higher costs to the patient.
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| point-of-service (POS) plan | A managed-care plan that covers treatment by an HMO physician but permits patients to seek treatment elsewhere with a higher copayment.
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| Medicare | A federal health insurance program for people 65 or older and for younger people with certain disabilities.
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| Medicaid | A federally subsidized state-run plan of health care for people of low income.
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| complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) | Therapies or practices that are not part of conventional or mainstream health care and medical practice as taught in most U.S. medical schools and available at most U.S. health care facilities; examples of CAM practices include acupuncture, herbal remedies, and homeopathy.
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| conventional medicine | A system of medicine based on the application of the scientific method; diseases are thought to be caused by identifiable physical factors and characterized by a representative set of symptoms; also called biomedicine or standard Western medicine.
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| traditional medicine | Medical systems that have developed in many non-Western cultures; also referred to as complementary and alternative medicine.
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| holism | The principle that all aspects of a person are interrelated and form an integrated system.
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| pharmaceuticals | Medical drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter.
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| doctor of osteopathy | A medical practitioner who has graduated from an osteopathic medical school; osteopathy incorporates the theories and practices of scientific medicine but focuses on musculoskeletal problems and manipulative therapy.
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| allied health care providers | Health care professionals who typically provide services under the supervision or control of independent practitioners.
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| traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) | The traditional medical system of China, which views illness as the result of a disturbance in the flow of qi, the life force; therapies include acupuncture, herbal medicine, and massage.
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| hypnosis | The process by which a practitioner induces a state of deep relaxation in which an individual is more suggestible.
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| biological-based therapies | CAM therapies that include natural and biologically based practices, interventions, and products; examples include herbal remedies and dietary supplements.
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| pharmacopoeia | A collection of drugs and medicinal preparations.
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| energy therapies | Forms of CAM treatment that use energy fields originating either within the body or from outside sources to promote healing.
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| qigong | A component of traditional Chinese medicine that combines movement, meditation, and regulation of breathing to enhance the flow of qi, improve blood circulation, and enhance immune function.
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| therapeutic touch | A CAM practice based on the premise that healers can identify and correct energy imbalances by passing their hands over the patient's body.
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| Reiki | A CAM practice intended to correct disturbances in the flow of life energy and enhance the body's healing powers through the use of thirteen hand positions on the patient.
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| bioelectromagnetic-based therapies | CAM therapies based on the use of electromagnetic fields to promote healing and manage pain.
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2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education