Download Key Clinical Terms for the Finance Professional

Key Clinical Terms for the
Finance Professional-Hospital
Acquired Conditions
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What is a HAI?
Hospital-acquired infection: An infection caught while hospitalized. The
medical term for a hospital-acquired infection is "nosocomial." Most
nosocomial infections are due to bacteria. Since antibiotics are frequently
used within hospitals, the types of bacteria and their resistance to
antibiotics is different than bacteria outside of the hospital. Nosocomial
infections can be serious and difficult to treat.
A nosocomial infection is strictly and specifically an infection "not present or
incubating prior to admittance to the hospital, but generally occurring 72
hours after admittance."
The word "nosocomial" is made up of two Greek words. The prefix "noso-"
comes from "nosus" meaning disease and "-comial" comes from
"komeion" meaning to take care of. Nosocomial could therefore refer to
any affliction acquired by a patient while under medical supervision, but
it doesn't. It now refers more narrowly to a hospital-acquired infection
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Retrieved from www.medterms.com
What is C Diff
What is Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) colitis?
Antibiotic-associated (C. difficile) colitis is an infection of the colon caused by C. difficile
that occurs primarily among individuals who have been using antibiotics. It is the most
common infection acquired by patients while they are in the hospital. More than three
million C. difficile infections occur in hospitals in the US each year. After a stay of only
two days in a hospital, 10% of patients will develop infection with C. difficile. C.
difficile also may be acquired outside of hospitals in the community. It is estimated that
20,000 infections with C. difficile occur in the community each year in the U.S.
Retrieved from www.medterms.com
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What is MRSA?
What is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)?
MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria.
This organism is known for causing skin infections in addition to many other
types of infections. There are other designations in the scientific literature for
these bacteria according to where the bacteria are acquired by patients, such as
community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA or CMRSA), hospital-acquired or
health-care-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA or HMRSA), or epidemic MRSA
(EMRSA). Statistical data suggest that as many as 19,000 people per year die
from MRSA in the U.S.; current data suggest this number has declined by about
25%-35% in recent years, in part, because of prevention practices at hospitals
and home care.
Although S. aureus has been causing infections (Staph infections) probably as long
as the human race has existed, MRSA has a relatively short history. MRSA was
first noted in 1961, about two years after the antibiotic methicillin was initially
used to treat S. aureus and other infectious bacteria.
Retrieved from www.medterms.com
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What is VRE?
What is vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE)?
Bacteria normally found in the feces of people and many animals. Two types of
enterococci -- Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium --occasionally
cause human disease, most commonly urinary tract infections and wound
infections. Other infections, including those of the blood stream (bacteraemia),
heart valves (endocarditis) and the brain (meningitis) can occur in severely ill
patients in hospitals. Enterococci also often colonize open wounds and skin
ulcers.
Enterococci are among the most common antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The first
vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) was found in 1986. Since that time,
VRE has become a growing problem. Bacteria resistant to vancomycin are
commonly also resistant to a similar antibiotic called teicoplanin, and vice
versa.
Retrieved from www.medterms.com
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What is UTI? CAUTI?
What is a urinary tract infection (UTI)?
An infection in the urinary system that begins when microorganisms cling to
the opening of the urethra (the canal from the bladder) and begin to
multiply. Most UTIs are due to one type of bacteria, E. (Escherichia) coli, a
normal denizen of the colon. An infection in the urethra leads to
inflammation called urethritis. From there bacteria may move up, causing a
bladder infection (cystitis) and if the infection is not treated promptly,
bacteria may go up the ureters to infect the kidneys (pyelonephritis).
Factors leading to UTI include any abnormality of the urinary tract (such as
a urinary tract malformation or a kidney stone) that obstructs the flow of
urine, an enlarged prostate gland that slows the flow of urine, catheters
(tubes) in the bladder, diabetes (due to changes of the immune system), and
any disorder that suppresses the immune system.
Retrieved from www.medterms.com
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Sources
 Hancock,
Melinda, and Charles, Tim, Process
Re-Engineering for Better Patient Outcomes
and Internal Efficiencies, HFMA Leadership
Conference, April 1, 2011 (slides 51-55)
 www.medterms.com
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