Week 2 Terms Flashcards
Hospital CEOs
appointed by hospital’s board of directors or trustees, oversee the management of several hospitals within the system and are ultimately responsible to the Board of Directors
Chief of Staff (COS)
a physician who oversees hospital care, acts as the liaison between physicians and hospital executives, and ensures that medical care is necessary and proper
Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)
a registered nurse similar position to the COS for nursing, with a focus on nursing operations and protocols and quality and delivery of patient care
Chief Information Officer (CIO)
the individual responsible for all health care technology infrastructure, patient information, and health care data security issues
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
the individual responsible for running hospital operations and executing the decisions of the CEO
Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)
THe individual responsible for overseeing the organization’s regulatory compliance initiatives and internal policies and procedures
Department Managers
Administrators who manage day-to-day operations of non-clinical hospital departments
Patient Care Managers
Individuals who manage groups of professionals who provide patient care
Health Care Service Providers
vast majority of hospital workers, provide patient care, maintain records and ensure that the hospital is able to deliver care to patients in an effective manner.
Admitting/patient Flow Department
Responsible for the intake process for all inpatient and outpatient patient encounters and the assignment of all hospital beds according to medical needs and insurance coverage. All patient records flow from the initial patient registration and intake process from this department.
Bookings Departments
Responsible for booking prescheduled patient tests and surgical procedures. May include intake of referrals, pre-registration of patient encounter in system, booking of test in clinical schedule, and communicating appointment time to booking physician and/or patient.
Business Office/patient accounts
Responsible for managing and overseeing all aspects of patient billing for insured and non-insured services, including provincial health insurance plans, private health insurance plans, and self-payments. The business office also oversees billing for preferred accommodation such as private or semi-private rooms
Central Supply Reserve (CSR)/Sterile Processing Department (SPD)
Responsible for sterilizing, storing and distributing reusable medical supplies and equipment (MOAB Healthcare. 2024), such as feeding pumps or metal bedpans. CSR/SPD also supports surgical processes by selecting and arranging the required instruments for specific procedures, ensuring all components are sterilized and ready for use.
Dietary/Nutritional Services
Responsible for providing all patient snacks, meals, and special diets such as tube feeds, as well as cafeteria food for visitors. Some hospitals may prepare all meals in hospital, while others may contract some meal preparation out.
Environmental Services/Housekeeping
Responsible for the cleaning and sanitizing of the hospital facility, including terminal cleaning of isolation rooms. In some hospitals, Environmental Services is responsible for shared areas; whereas, each unit’s environmental service personnel are responsible for cleanliness of their respective unit.
Health Information Management (HIM)
Responsible for maintaining, organizing, storing and archiving all patient records. Also responsible for medical record coding, generation of reports through the medical transcription process, and release of information to patients, providers and insurance companies.
Human Resources (HR)
Responsible for recruitment and staffing, onboarding and orientation, employee relations, training and development opportunities, compensation, performance management, workforce planning, and negotiating collective agreements with trade unions representing hospital bargaining units.
IT/Information Services
Responsible for managing and supporting the hospital’s technology infrastructure including communication systems, computer services, and EMR/other software applications.
Linen/Laundry
Responsible for supplying clean, sanitized linens, including gowns, bedding and towels, to all patient care areas in the hospital. Due to cost-saving measures, these services may be subcontracted to off-site services such as LHLS.
Maintenance
Responsible for routine day-to-day facility maintenance, performing inspections of plumbing, HVAC, and refrigeration systems, ensuring that all buildings meet code, safety and security standards, implementing energy management initiatives (Accruent, 2024).
Occupational Health/Employee Health
Responsible for employees’ work-related health and wellness needs, including preventing workplace injuries, injury treatment and rehabilitation, return to work plans, immunizations, and worker’s compensation referrals.
Pharmacy
Responsible for all aspects of medication management for hospital inpatients, including storing, compounding, and dispensing drugs, consulting with physicians to make drug based decisions, providing drug education to patients and staff, and managing the patient medication profile/record. Some hospitals may also have an outpatient pharmacy, where patients may fill prescriptions upon discharge
Privacy Office
Responsible for ensuring hospital complies with legislation relating to the privacy and security of personal health information; provides advice, guidance, and education staff on on practical application of the law, including privacy procedures (Trillium Health Partners, 2024). This office may also investigate privacy breeches.
Public Relations
Responsible for managing the hospital’s media relations, internal and external communications, community engagement and marketing events, and social media presence.
Purchasing
Responsible for procuring the goods and services the hospital requires to operate efficiently, including the sourcing, acquisition, distribution, control and disposal of goods
Risk Management/Infection Control
Responsible for identifying, evaluation and mitigating risks that could negatively impact patients and staff including spread of disease or infections within the hospital. May be two separate departments in larger hospitals.
Staffing/Scheduling Office
Responsible for the delivery of centralized scheduling and staffing services for the hospital, posting staff schedules, replacing shifts, and preparing accurate time cards for payroll. These services may also be decentralized and completed by the HUC at the unit level.
Stores/Materials management
Responsible for stocking patient care units with one-time use equipment and supplies, such as urinary catheters, IV supplies, and paper goods.
Switchboard
Responsible for directing incoming communications to the hospitals. Also called “locating”, this department is also responsible for hospital wide paging and the first point of contact in hospital emergencies.
Volunteer Services
Responsible for recruiting and onboarding volunteers, training, scheduling and monitoring volunteers, and volunteer recognition and retention activities. In some hospitals, volunteer services may also be responsible for arranging student placements, while in others, this function is handled by HR or clinical educators.
Coronary Care Unit (CCU)
Provides specialized, intensive treatment for patients with a complex or unstable medical cardiac issues, such as unstable angina or myocardial infarctions. In smaller hospitals, the CCU may be combined with the ICU.
Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU)
Provides specialized, intensive treatment for patients who have had complex cardiac surgery, such as CABG
Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Provides specialized, intensive treatment for patients who require close monitoring and advanced life support due to severely injuries or critical illness (Sturdy & Erikson, 2022), such as those with severe infections or trauma injuries.
neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Provides specialized, intensive treatment for critically ill newborns who require monitoring and advanced life support (Sturdy & Erikson, 2022), often premature babies or those with birth complications
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Provides specialized, intensive treatment for children and adolescents who are critically ill. Smaller facilities may have a PICU only, where infants are also treated.
Step-down units (surgical/cardiac)
These units provide intermediate care between that of an ICU and normally staffed inpatient unit
Burn Unit
This unit provides care to patients who have suffered advanced and complicated burn injuries. These patients have complex and intensive care requirements because a number of complications, including infections, are common when a patient has severe burns
Cardiology
Provides care for patients with medical cardiac-related issues. The cardiology unit typically does not care for a patient in the acute phase of a myocardial infarction but would handle the aftercare once the patient was somewhat stabilized. The unit would also have patients with congestive heart failure, unstable blood pressure, and other cardiac
General Medicine
Provides treatment for a vast array of illnesses, such as pneumonia, bronchitis, or mobility issues, or they are waiting for placement in another facility, such as long-term care. Often a patient’s condition does not warrant being on a more specialized unit, but rather the patient may have a number of comorbidities (more than one condition or disease at the same time)
General Surgery
Provides pre- and post-operative treatment for patients who have had a variety of routine procedures that do not require specialized or complex care, such as appendectomies, mastectomies, or hernia repairs
Gerontology
Provides inpatient services for frail older adults with multiple or complex medical problems, with the goal to help them become independent again (Alberta Health Services, n.d.). Concerns addressed may include recent changes in mental, physical and functional abilities and/or safety concerns. Geriatric patients are generally over the age of 75, though that may vary depending on the policy and specific cutoff age for geriatric status in the local area
Gynecology
Provides medical and surgical treatment for patients with ailments of the female reproductive system, such as fibroid tumours, exacerbations of endometriosis, uterine bleeding, or other disorders. However, patients would not go to this unit for pregnancy-related issues
Mat/child/labour and delivery
Provides care to women in labour or at risk for immediate labour. Patients would not come to this unit if they were early on in their pregnancy or for fertility issues. Once the patient has delivered the baby, the mother and infant stay on the unit until stable, but they are often discharged within a day or two at the most
Mental Health
Provides care for individuals with a mental health diagnosis, including schizophrenia or major depressive disorders. There may be different types of mental health or psychiatric/psych units in hospitals including locked units, full-time units, or units which allow patients to leave during the day and return in the evening
Nephrology
rovides care for patients with a pathology that affects the kidneys. They may require dialysis, which is often done in a dialysis unit, but they may have other pathologies such as kidneys stones, blockages, or other issues with kidney function
Neurology
Provides non-surgical treatment of disorders related to the nervous system, including stroke, head trauma, epilepsy, and neuromuscular disorders
Neurosurgery
Provides care for patients who have had surgery procedures related to the nervous system, including aneurism surgery and spinal fusions.
Oncology/systemic Therapy
Provides therapies intended to improve or cure cancer, including radiation or chemotherapy
Orthopedics
Provides care to patients with injury or chronic anomaly to their bones or joints which requires surgical treatment and intervention (Sturdy & Erikson, 2022), such as joint replacement or internal fixation of fractures.
Palliative
Provides care which focuses on providing comfort and optimizing quality of life for terminal and life-limiting illness (Sturdy & Erikson, 2022), which may or may not be cancer related.
Pediatrics
Provides medical and surgical care to patients under the age of 18. Pediatric units may be general or specialized for certain conditions such as trauma or pulmonary conditions
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Provides plastic surgery services, including reconstructive surgery to reconstruct damaged tissues and cosmetic care to enhance physical appearance. Some plastic and reconstructive units will also provide hand surgery, while this may be a function of orthopedic units in other hospitals.
Rehab
Provides care for patients after an injury or surgery to increase their strength and improve their functioning so that they can go home
Respiratory/pulmonary
Provides medical treatment to patients with some form of acute or chronic pulmonary condition; for example, injuries to the lungs such as atelectasis or pleural effusion. They might also have chronic conditions such as uncontrolled asthma, bronchitis, COPD, or inflammation or infection in the respiratory system (Sturdy & Erikson, 2022). In smaller hospitals, these patients may be admitted to a general medicine unit.
Telemetry
Provides continuous cardiac monitoring 24/7 for patients with heart disease, irregular heart rhythms, and heart failure (National Telemetry Association, 2024). Telemetry units may be stand-alone units, or may be part of a cardiology unit.
Thoracic/chest
Provides treatment for patients with surgery of the chest or respiratory system
Urology
Provides surgical treatment for patients with a pathology or anomaly that relates to the urinary system and/or male genitourinary system, such as prostate disease and renal and bladder disfunctions
Airway Clinic/Pulmonary Function Lab
rovides respiratory education, rehabilitation, and diagnostic testing such as pulmonary function tests
Cardiac Rehab
Provides exercise programs, education and counselling regarding healthy lifestyles for patients with a cardiovascular condition
Cardiac Catheterization/Cath Lab
Performs cardiac catheterization procedures to diagnose or treat heart conditions, including coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, heart failure, or valve disease.
Cardiac Testing
Provides a variety of cardiac outpatient testing such as echocardiograms, ECGs, Holter monitors, and stress tests.
Colposcopy Clinic
Provides diagnosis and treatment for women who have an abnormal pap test, precancerous disorders or vulva, cervix and vagina, or genital warts
Cystoscopy Clinic
Performs diagnostic procedures to evaluate the lower urinary tract including bladder and in men, the prostate, to identify tumours, stones or other abnormalities
Diabetic Clinics
Provides patient teaching from both RNs and Dietitians about managing Type 1, Type 2, Gestational, and Pre-diabetes.
Diagnostic/medical Imaging
Provides a wide range of imaging services such as x-rays, ultrasound, CT, and MRI imaging to diagnose and monitor medical conditions
Dialysis Unit
Provides outpatient blood filtration procedures for patients with kidney failure. Often the same patients come in weekly or a few times a week for dialysis
Endoscopy Unit
Provides a wide range of clinical investigations and procedures to patients with bowel, stomach, liver, pancreas, and lung related disorders, such as colonoscopy or bronchoscopy
Fracture Clinic
Provides casting, splinting, some dressing changes and removal of sutures, injections, and aspirations for patients with bone, joint, and soft tissue injuries
Geriatric medicine Clinic
Provides comprehensive assessment and community support referrals for patient who have complex conditions associated with aging, including memory loss, mobility problems and falls
Infusion Clinic
Provides outpatient intravenous therapy for patients requiring IV medications such as biologics, antibiotics, or blood products.
Laboratory Services
Provides a wide range of tests on specimens including blood, body fluids, and tissues, to diagnose, monitor and treat disease. Laboratory services in larger hospitals are typically divided into several departments including biochemistry, hematology, microbiology, blood bank, pathology, and immunology.
Mammography Unit
Provides services to examine and diagnose breast tissue health and screen high risk and average risk individuals for breast cancer.
Newborn Clinic/Bilirubin Clinic
Provides infant assessment, bilirubin level monitoring, and breast-feeding assistance for the immediate post-delivery period
Nuclear medicine
Provides a range of scans using special radioisotopes for diagnosis and treatment of disease
Physiotherapy Clinic
Provides physical rehabilitation to help patients regain, maintain and improve their physical function after surgery or injury, or to help manage chronic conditions.
Rheumatology Clinic
Provides treatments to reduce pain, disability, and joint damage to patients with diseases such as arthritis, gout, scleroderma, and lupus
Special Testing
Provides a variety of neurology tests such as EMGs and EEGs.
Pre-surgical Clinic (PSC)
This outpatient department is where patients are booked 2-3 weeks prior to surgery, to be educated and prepared for the procedure they will be having. The nurses on this unit perform a variety of tests, including bloodwork and ECGs, take vital signs, and patients’ medical histories to ensure they are in the condition required for surgery to be performed. The surgeon booking the procedure may also require a variety of consultations to be performed at this visit, including an anesthetic consultation.
Day Surgery Unit (DS)
his is the unit where patients having simple procedures that do not require overnight stays are admitted to on the day of surgery. They typically arrive 2-3 hours before their scheduled surgery and are discharged 1-2 hours following their procedure once they are stable.
AM Admission Unit/pre-operative Unit
This is the unit where patients having more complicated surgeries requiring overnight stays are admitted to on the day of surgery. They typically arrive 2-3 hours before their scheduled surgery and are transferred to the appropriate surgical inpatient unit from the PACU when stable.
Operating Rooms (ORs)
This is where inpatients and outpatients are administered anesthetic and the actual surgical procedures are performed. Effective utilization of OR time is essential within the hospital environment, with surgeries scheduled back-to-back within OR blocks. Many routine surgeries such as hernia repair or appendectomy are scheduled for less than 1 hour, while more complicated surgeries such as CABG may be scheduled for 4 or more hours.
Post-Anesthetic Car Unit (PACU)/Recovery Room (RR)
This area is where inpatients and outpatients who have received anesthesia during surgery are taken to immediately after their procedure to be monitored until anesthesia wears off, typically 1-2 hours. Once stable, they will either return to the day surgery unit if they are to be discharged that day or be transferred to the appropriate inpatient surgical unit.
General (acute care) Hospitals
open 24/7 to provide community with a variety of inpatient and outpatient services, including surgical, obstetric and emergency services. Most hospitals in Ontario fall under this classification
Convalescent hospitals
provide recuperative care to patients who are expected to make a recovery and return to either their homes or other community placements.
Chronic Care Hospitals
provide continuing care for patients with chronic illnesses or marked disability who require non-acute hospitalization.
Active treatment psychiatric hospitals
provide diagnosis and clinical treatment for those with a mental illness or those who require mental rehabilitation.
Active treatment alcoholism and drug addiction centres
provide inpatient and outpatient rehabilitative care for those suffering from drug or alcohol addiction.
Regional Rehabilitation hospitals
provide specialized rehabilitative care to help those recovering from a variety of serious medical concerns, including: brain injuries, strokes, spinal cord injuries, amputations
