Glossary

Question 1

process of moving a body part away from the midline

Answer 1

abduction

Question 2

fetuses that did not reach the age of viability

Answer 2

abortions

Question 3

a complication of pregnancy that occurs when the placenta tears away from the uterine wall, resulting in hemorrhage and fetal distress

Answer 3

abruptio placentae

Question 4

mistakenly accepting payment for items that should not be paid as a result of improper coding and billing practices

Answer 4

abuse

Question 5

eye’s ability to adjust it optical powers to maintain a clear image of objects at various distances

Answer 5

accommodation

Question 6

amount of money a patient owes

Answer 6

account balance

Question 7

a free-form note that some computer systems allow in which more detailed information can be entered than can be entered in the description field; may be used, for example, when posting adjustments to an account

Answer 7

account note

Question 8

system of reporting the financial results of a business

Answer 8

accounting

Question 9

amounts of money the physician owes to others for supplies, equipment, and services

Answer 9

accounts payable (AP)

Question 10

money owed to the physician or medical practice

Answer 10

accounts receivable (AR)

Question 11

process by which an institution voluntarily completes an extensive self-study after which an accrediting association visits the school to verify the self-study statements

Answer 11

accreditation

Question 12

accreditation bureau that certifies medical assisting programs; graduates of ______ accredited programs may take the CMA (AAMA) or RMA examination

Answer 12

Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)

Question 13

special stain used to expose the tuberculosis organism

Answer 13

acid-fast stain

Question 14

common skin condition that occurs when oil and dead skin cells clog the skin’s pores; also called simply acne

Answer 14

acne vulgaris

Question 15

occurs when the person is exposed to a live pathogen, develops the disease, and becomes immune as a result of the primary immune response

Answer 15

acquired active immunity

Question 16

series of illnesses that occur as a result of infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes the immune system to break down

Answer 16

acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)

Question 17

hormonal disorder that results from the overproduction of growth hormone by the pituitary gland, most commonly affecting middle-aged adults

Answer 17

acromegaly

Question 18

introduction of immunity by infection or what a vaccine

Answer 18

active immunity

Question 19

paying attention completely to the speaker, concentrating on the verbal message, watching for nonverbal cues, and offering a response

Answer 19

active listening

Question 20

medical files of patients who are currently being seen by the physician that may cover one to five years, depending on office policy

Answer 20

active records

Question 21

process in cells that requires energy to transport materials to, from, and within the cell

Answer 21

active transport

Question 22

when the subject of the sentence performs the action

Answer 22

active voice

Question 23

sharpness

Answer 23

acuity

Question 24

illnesses or injuries that occur suddenly and require treatment but may or may not be life threatening

Answer 24

acute conditions

Question 25

confusion (e.g., inability to follow a conversation, answer questions appropriately, understand important facts) with symptoms lasting less than three months

Answer 25

acute confusion

Question 26

expected pain associated with trauma or surgery that lasts through the recovery of that condition intense pain, usually lessening over time

Answer 26

acute pain

Question 27

condition that occurs when something, such as a blockage, toxins, or a sudden loss of blood flow, causes a change in the filtering function of the kidneys

Answer 27

acute renal failure

Question 28

condition in which the cortex of the adrenal gland is damaged, decreasing the production of adrenocortical hormones, usually resulting from an autoimmune disorder but also caused by infection, cancer, or hemorrhage into the glands

Answer 28

Addison's disease

Question 29

a substance added in small amounts, such as a chemical within a test tube

Answer 29

additive

Question 30

in procedure coding, a code added to a primary procedure code to indicate a related procedure

Answer 30

add-on code

Question 31

process of moving a body part toward the midline

Answer 31

adduction

Question 32

pharyngeal tonsils

Answer 32

adenoids

Question 33

scar-like tissue that forms between two membranous structures

Answer 33

adhesion

Question 34

positive or negative change to a patient's account balance that does not involve the exchange of money or the addition of a charge for services

Answer 34

adjustment

Question 35

laws governing the administration of agency regulations

Answer 35

administrative law

Question 36

transition period between puberty and adulthood

Answer 36

adolescence

Question 37

policies and procedures to ensure the security of electronic protected health information

Answer 37

administrative safeguards

Question 38

endocrine organs that secrete hormones; located on top of each kidney, consisting of the cortex and the medulla

Answer 38

adrenal glands

Question 39

age designation from roughly 20 years of age to death

Answer 39

adulthood

Question 40

notice to patient that payment for a recommended service may be denied by Medicare and that the patient would then be obligated to pay gives the patient the opportunity to accept or decline the service, knowing they may have to pay for it

Answer 40

Advance Beneficiary Notice

Question 41

ABN

Answer 41

Advance Beneficiary Notice

Question 42

AIDS

Answer 42

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Question 43

AP

Answer 43

Accounts Payable

Question 44

AR

Answer 44

Accounts Receivable

Question 45

ABHES

Answer 45

Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools

Question 46

when the patient schedules his or her next appointment before leaving the office

Answer 46

advance booking

Question 47

document that allows patients to request that life-sustaining treatments and nutritional support not be used to prolong their life; includes the durable power of attorney

Answer 47

advance directive

Question 48

negative effects that outweigh the benefit of taking a medication and require the patient to discontinue its use

Answer 48

adverse effects

Question 49

requires oxygen to live

Answer 49

aerobic

Question 50

absence of a fever

Answer 50

afebrile

Question 51

behaviors that are based on feelings and emotions

Answer 51

affective

Question 52

carry impulses from the sensory receptor to the central nervous system

Answer 52

afferent nerves

Question 53

ACA

Answer 53

Affordable Care Act

Question 54

PPACA

Answer 54

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Question 55

a medium for growing bacterial cultures that contains whole blood

Answer 55

agar

Question 56

prejudice against and incorrect assumptions about an individual or individuals because of age

Answer 56

ageism

Question 57

clumping together

Answer 57

agglutination

Question 58

trying to impose one's point of view on others

Answer 58

aggressive

Question 59

prime mover

Answer 59

agonist

Question 60

actions taken to reduce transmission of pathogens transported by airborne droplet nuclei so small they can remain suspended in air and widely dispersed by air currents; this may involve patient isolation and use of mask and gown by health care personnel

Answer 60

airborne precautions

Question 61

inherited disorder that is indicated by the absence of melanin in the skin, hair, and eyes

Answer 61

albinism

Question 62

any substance capable of causing an allergic reaction

Answer 62

allergen

Question 63

physician who specialized in treating allergies, asthma, and immune system disorders

Answer 63

allergist

Question 64

hypersensitivity to a normally harmless substance

Answer 64

allergy

Question 65

the amount insurance companies consider to be an appropriate fee for a given service

Answer 65

allowed amount

Question 66

baldness or loss of hair

Answer 66

alopecia

Question 67

filing system based on the letters of the alphabet

Answer 67

alphabetic filing

Question 68

small air sacs at the end of the bronchioles with a network of capillaries that perform the exchange of gases

Answer 68

alveoli

Question 69

progressive, degenerative disease of the brain characterized by loss of memory and other cognitive functions

Answer 69

Alzheimer's disease

Question 70

a disorder in children caused by the eye muscles being weaker in one eye; also called lazy eye

Answer 70

amblyopia

Question 71

act of walking

Answer 71

ambulation

Question 72

surgery performed on a person who is admitted and discharged from a surgical facility on the same day

Answer 72

ambulatory surgery

Question 73

absence of menstrual periods

Answer 73

amenorrhea

Question 74

professional association for medical assistants that offers CMA (AAMA) certification and educational opportunities

Answer 74

American Association of Medical Assistants

Question 75

AAMA

Answer 75

American Association of Medical Assistants

Question 76

ABA

Answer 76

American Bankers Association

Question 77

code numbers that identify the bank; found on the right upper corner of a printed check

Answer 77

American Bankers Association number

Question 78

AMT

Answer 78

American Medical Technologists

Question 79

professional association that provides oversight for the registration and testing of medical technologists, medial assistants, and phlebotomists

Answer 79

American Medical Technologists (AMT)

Question 80

ADA

Answer 80

Americans with Disabilities Act

Question 81

act ensuring that people with disabilities have equal access to structures and options

Answer 81

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Question 82

articulation or joint that permits very slight movement

Answer 82

amphiarthrotic joint

Question 83

to make louder

Answer 83

amplify

Question 84

small, sealed glass bottles containing a single dose of medication

Answer 84

ampules

Question 85

a disease of unknown cause that breaks down the nerves in the nervous system that are responsible for movement

Answer 85

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

Question 86

ALS

Answer 86

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Question 87

able to live without oxygen

Answer 87

anaerobic

Question 88

severe allergic reaction that causes respiratory distress due to swelling of upper airways

Answer 88

anaphylaxis

Question 89

body structure; study of the structure of an organism

Answer 89

anatomy

Question 90

service provided by the U.S. Postal Service that permits giving the Postal Service instructions on how to handle mail that is undeliverable, such as forwarding instructions or receipt of a changed address

Answer 90

ancillary service endorsements

Question 91

condition in which levels of hemoglobin in the red blood cells are insufficient; caused by decreased healthy red cell production by the bone marrow, increased erythrocyte destruction, or blood loss from heavy menstrual periods or internal bleeding

Answer 91

anemia

Question 92

medication that causes the partial or complete loss of sensation

Answer 92

anesthesia

Question 93

abnormal widening or ballooning of a portion of an artery, related to weakness in the vessel wall

Answer 93

aneurysm

Question 94

X-ray visualization of blood vessels after a radiopaque material has been injected into them

Answer 94

angiography

Question 95

surgical vessel repair procedure frequently used to reopen a blocked coronary artery

Answer 95

angioplasty

Question 96

eating disorder associated with a distorted sense of body image and the persistent quest for thinness, at times to the point of emaciation

Answer 96

anorexia nervosa

Question 97

agency that answers phone calls and forwards messages to directed recipients

Answer 97

answering service

Question 98

muscle that counteracts, or opposes, the action of another muscle

Answer 98

antagonist

Question 99

the inner-elbow area

Answer 99

antecubital space

Question 100

deadly infectious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis

Answer 100

anthrax

Question 101

science of size, proportion, weight, and height

Answer 101

anthropometry

Question 102

specialized proteins that lock onto and have the ability to neutralize specific antigens

Answer 102

antibodies

Question 103

immune response in which B lymphocytes produce antibodies that seek out and destroy foreign antigens; also called humoral immunity

Answer 103

antibody-mediated response

Question 104

a chemical that prevents blood from clotting and keeps it in its liquid form

Answer 104

anticoagulant

Question 105

foreign substance that invades the body

Answer 105

antigen

Question 106

agent used for hand hygiene

Answer 106

antiseptic

Question 107

absence of urine

Answer 107

anuria

Question 108

largest artery of the body into which blood enters after it leaves the left ventricle

Answer 108

aorta

Question 109

heart rate that is counted at the apex of the heart

Answer 109

apical

Question 110

absence of breathing for more than 19 seconds

Answer 110

apnea

Question 111

oldest system of measurement in which dry weight is measured in grains

Answer 111

apothecary system

Question 112

formal submission to an insurance carrier to question a denied claim that includes additional and detailed information beyond that which was submitted with the original claim

Answer 112

appeal

Question 113

inflammation of the appendix caused by a blockage of the inside of the appendix (the lumen), which leads to increased pressure, impaired blood flow, and potentially gangrene and rupture

Answer 113

appendicitis

Question 114

one of the two divisions of the skeletal system, consisting of the 126 bones, including the shoulder and pelvic girdles, as well as extremities, that are not part of the axial skeleton

Answer 114

appendicular skeleton

Question 115

small appendage attached to the cecum, which has no known function in humans

Answer 115

appendix

Question 116

software installed in a computer to perform specific tasks such as word processing, creating spreadsheets, desktop publishing, and Internet browsing form usually completed at the time of the job interview that includes personal information and previous work experience

Answer 116

application

Question 117

watery fluid that fills the anterior cavity of the eyeball

Answer 117

aqueous humor

Question 118

report that categorizes a company's accounts receivable (AR) according to the length of time since they have been billed to determine what action, if any, should be taken on a given account; for example, accounts less than 30 days old are considered current; Medicare accounts over 30 days old should be investigated

Answer 118

AR aging analysis

Question 119

a hearing or determination of the outcome of a dispute or the settling of a difference between parties by a person or persons selected to direct the parties to an agreement

Answer 119

arbitration

Question 120

stored for later retrieval

Answer 120

achived

Question 121

therapy that utilizes pleasant smells

Answer 121

aromatherapy

Question 122

irregular heartbeat caused by a disturbance of normal electrical activity of the heart; pulse with an irregular rhythym

Answer 122

arrhythmia

Question 123

measurement of oxygen and carbon dioxide in arterial blood

Answer 123

arterial blood gases (ABGs)

Question 124

ABGs

Answer 124

arterial blood gases

Question 125

blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to the cells

Answer 125

arteries

Question 126

a thickening and loss of elasticity of the arteries; also called hardening of the arteries

Answer 126

arteriosclerosis

Question 127

inflammation of one or more joints caused by various disease processes

Answer 127

arthritis

Question 128

the place where two bones connect, with the positioning of the bones determining they type of movement the joint performs; also called joints

Answer 128

articulation