Healthcare Acronyms

Acronym
A/P
A/R
AAASC
AAFP
AAHC
AAHP
AAMC
AAPCC
AAPI
AAPPO
AAPS
AARP
ABA
ABX
AC
ACC
ACC
ACCME
ACGME
ACHE
ACM
ACM
ACOG
ACP
ACS
ACS
ACS
ADA
ADC
ADE
ADL
ADR
ADS
ADT
AFL-CIO
AFMR
AG
AHA
AHA
AHC
AHCPR
AHIP
AHLA
AHP
AHP
AHQA
AHRQ
AHSR
AIDS
ALA
ALF
ALJ
ALOS

Definition
Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers
American Academy of Family Physicians
Association of Academic Health Centers
American Association of Health Plans (now merged with HIAA to form AHIP)
Association of American Medical Colleges
Adjusted Average Per Capita Cost
American Accreditation Program, Inc.
American Association of Preferred Provider Organizations
Association of American Physicians and Surgeons
American Association of Retired Persons
American Bar Association
Antibiotic
Ambulatory Care
Ambulatory Care Center
American College of Cardiology
Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
American College of Healthcare Executives
American College of Medicine
Appropriate Care Measures (formerly ACS)
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American College of Physicians
Appropriate Care Scores (now ACM)
American Cancer Society
American College of Surgeons
Americans with Disabilities Act
Average Daily Census
Adverse Drug Event
Activities of Daily Living
Adverse Drug Reaction
Alternative Delivery System
Admission/Discharge/Transfer
American Federation of LaborCongress of Industrial Organizations
American Federation for Medical Research
Attorney General
American Hospital Association
American Heart Association
Association of Academic Health Centers
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
Americas Health Insurance Plans
American Health Lawyers Association
Allied Health Professional
Association of Healthcare Philanthropy
American Health Quality Association
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Association for Health Services Research
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
American Lung Association
Assisted Living Facility
Administrative Law Judge
Average Length of Stay
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Healthcare Acronyms
Acronym
AMA
AMBHA
AMC
AMGA
AMI
AMPRA
AMR
AMSA
ANA
ANE
ANSI
AOA
AOB
AOB
APA
APA
APC
APC
APHA
APS
APU
APU
ARC
ASAE
ASC
ASCO
ASCP
ASH
ASHE
ASIM
ASO
ATS
BBA 97
BBRA
BC/BS
BCMA
BI
BLS
BME
BMH
BMI
BMQA
BMRH
BOD
Bx
CABG
CAE
CAH
CAHPS
CalPERS
CAMH
CanCORS

Definition
American Medical Association
American Managed Behavioral Healthcare Association
Academic Medical Center
American Medical Group Association
Acute Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association
Automated Medical Record
American Medical Student Association
American Nurses Association
Association of Nurse Executives
American National Standards Institute
American Osteopathic Association
Assignment of Benefits
Adjusted Occupied Bed
American Psychiatric Association
American Psychological Association
Ambulatory Procedure Codes
Ambulatory Payment Classifications
American Public Health Association
American Pain Society
Annual Payment Update
Antepartum Unit
AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) Related Complex/Conditions
American Society of Association Executives
Ambulatory Surgery Center
American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Society of Clinical Pathology
American Society of Hematology
American Society for Healthcare Engineering
American Society of Internal Medicine
Administration Services Only Contract
Alcohol Treatment Services
Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (usually BBA)
Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Bar Code Medication Administration
Brain Injury
Basic Life Support
Board of Medical Examiners
Bryn Mawr Hospital
Body Mass Index
Board of Medical Quality Assurance
Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital
Board of Directors
Biopsy
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
Certified Association Executive
Critical Access Hospital
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (formerly Consumer Assessment of Health Plans
Study; see also HCAHPS)
California Public Employees Retirement System
Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals (JCAHO)
Cancer Care Outcomes and Surveillance Consortium
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Healthcare Acronyms
Acronym
CAP
CARF
CAT
CBO
CBT
CCR
CCRC
CCs
CCU
CCU
CDC
CDHP
CDM
CDR
CEO
CFO
CHA
CHC
CHF
CIO
ClinDOC
CM
CME
CMG
CMI
CMI
CMO
CMS
CMWF
COB
COBRA
COE
COI
COLA
CON
COO
COPD
COS
COTH
COW
CPA
CPG
CPI
CPOE
CPR
CPT
CPX
CQI
CRNA
CRRN
CT
CT
CTICU

Definition
Corrective Action Plan
Commission on Acreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities
Computerized Axial Tomography
Congressional Budget Office
Computer Based Training
Cost Coverage Ratio
Continuous Care Retirement Community
Complications & Comorbidities
Critical Care Unit (also ICUIntensive Care Unit)
Cardiac Care Unit
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Consumer Driven Health Plans
Charge Description Master
Computerized Data Repository
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Catholic Health Association
Community Health Center
Congestive Heart Failure
Chief Information Officer
Nursing Clinical Documentation
Case Manager
Continuing Medical Education
Case Mix Group
Case Mix Index
Case Mix Index
Chief Medical Officer (also called VPMA, Vice President of Medical Affairs)
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly HCFA; see HCFA)
Commonwealth Fund
Coordination of Benefits
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985
Center of Excellence
Conflict of Interest
Cost Of Living Adjustment
Certificate of Need
Chief Operating Officer
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Chief of Staff
Council of Teaching Hospitals
Computer on Wheels
Certified Public Accountant
Clinical Practice Guidelines
Consumer Price Index
Computer Physician (or Provider) Order Entry
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Current Procedural Terminology
Complete Physicial Exam
Continuous Quality Improvement
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse
Cardiothoracic
Computed Tomography
Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit
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Healthcare Acronyms
Acronym
CVD
D&O
D.O.
DAM
DHHS
DME
DME
DNA
DNFB
DNR
DOA
DOD
DOH
DOJ
DRG
DrP.H.
DSH
DUR
DVT
Dx
EAP
EBM
EBRI
ECF
ECG
ECU
ED
EEG
EEO
EHIM
EHR
EHR
EHR
EKG
ELSI
EMG
EMR
EMS
EMT
EMTALA
ENT
EOB
EOC
EOC
EPA
EPO
EPSDT
ER
ERISA
ESRD
EU
FACHE
FACOG

Definition
Cardiovascular Disease
Directors and Officers (insurance)
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
Drug Allergy Module
Department of Health and Human Services
Direct Medical Education
Durable Medical Equipment
Deoxyribonucleic Acid
Discharged Not Final Billed
Do Not Resuscitate Order
Dead on Arrival
Department of Defense
Department of Health
Department of Justice
Diagnosis Related Group(s)
Doctor of Public Health
Disproportionate Share Hospital
Drug Utilization Review
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Diagnosis
Employee Assistance Program
Evidence-Based Medicine
Employee Benefit Research Institute
Extended Care Facility
Electrocardiography (aka EKG)
Extended Care Unit
Emergency Department
Electroencephalography
Equal Employment Opportunity
Electronic Health Information Management
Executive Health Resources
Electronic Health Record
Evidence-Based Hospital Referral
Electrocardiography (aka ECG)
Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications Research Program
Electromyography
Electronic Medical Record
Emergency Medical Services
Emergency Medical Technician
Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act
Ear, Nose, and Throat
Explanation of Benefits
Emergency Operations Center
Evidence of Coverage
Environmental Protection Agency
Exclusive Provider Organization
Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Emergency Room (a.k.a. ED, Emergency Department)
Employee Retirement Income Security Act
End-Stage Renal Disease
European Union
Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives
Fellow, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
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Healthcare Acronyms
Acronym
FACP
FACS
FAH
FAHS
FASB
FDA
FEHBP
FEMA
FFS
FI
FIM
FMEA
FP
FQHC
FQHMO
FTC
FTE
FY
FYE
GAAP
GAMP
GAO
GDP
GME
GMENAC
GNP
GP
GPO
GPWW
GSA
GYN
H&P
HAC
HAI
HCAHPS
HCBS
HCFA
HCN
HCPCS
HDHP
HDL
HEDIS
HF
HFMA
HGP
HHS
HIAA
HIMSS
HIN
HIPAA
HIPC
HIT
HIV

Definition
Fellow, American College of Physicians
Fellow, American College of Surgeons
Federation of American Hospitals
Federation of American Health Systems
Financial Accounting Standards Board
Food and Drug Administration
Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Fee for Service
Fiscal Intermediary
Functional Independence Measure
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Family Practice or Practitioner
Federally Qualified Health Center
Federally Qualified Health Maintenance Organization
Federal Trade Commission
Full-time Equivalent
Fiscal Year
Fiscal Year End/Ending
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
General Assistance Medical Program
Government Accountability Office (U.S.; formerly General Accounting Office)
Gross Domestic Product
Graduate Medical Education
Graduation Medical Education National Advisory Committee
Gross National Product
General Practitioner
Group Purchasing Organization
Group Practice Without Walls
Group Service Agreement
Gynecology or Gynecologist
History and Physical
Hospital Acquired Condition
Hospital Acquired Infection
Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey (See also CAHPS)
Home and Community Based Services
Health Care Financing Administration (now named CMS: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
Home Care Network
Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System
High Deductible Health Plan
High Density Lipoprotein (good cholesterol)
Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set
Heart Failure
Healthcare Financial Management Association
Human Genome Project
Heatlh and Human Services
Health Insurance Association of America (now merged with AAHP to form AHIP)
Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
Health Information Network (also known as Regional Health Information Organization, or RHIO)
Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996
Health Insurance Purchasing Cooperative
Health Information Technology
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
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Healthcare Acronyms
Acronym
HL7
HMO
HMS
HPSA
HQA
HQID
HRA
HRET
HRSA
HSA
HSMR
I&O
I/P
IAM
IBC
IBNR
ICD-10
ICD-9-CM
ICP
ICRA
ICU
IDN
IDS
IEC
IG
IHF
IHI
IM
IME
IMG
IMQ
INS
IOM
IPA
IPO
IPO
IPPS
IRB
IRF
IRS
ISO
IT
JAMA
JC
JCAHO
JHS
KFF
LAN
LCD
LH
LIMR
LOS
LPN

Definition
Health Level 7
Health Maintenance Organization
Healthcare Management System
Health Provider Shortage Area
Hospital Quality Alliance
Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration (CMS/Premier)
Health Risk Assessment
Health Research and Educational Trust
Health Resources and Services Administration
Health Savings Account
Hospital Standardized Mortality Rate
Intake and Output
Inpatient
Identity Access Management
Independence Blue Cross
Incurred but not Reported
International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision
International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision Clinical Modification
Infection Control Practitioner
Infection Control Risk Assessment
Intensive Care Unit
Integrated Delivery Network
Integrated Delivery System
Independent Ethics Committee (also called Institutional Review Board, or IRB)
Inspector General
International Hospital Federation
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Internal Medicine
Indirect Medical Education
International Medical Graduate
Institute for Medical Quality
Immigration and Naturalization Service
Institute of Medicine
Independent Practice Association
Independent Practice Organization
Initial Public Offering
Inpatient Prospective Payment System
Institutional Review Board (also called Independent Ethics Committee, or IEC)
Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility
Internal Revenue Service
International Organization for Standardization
Information Technology (also called Information System, or IS)
Journal of the American Medical Association
The Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO)
Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (now JC)
Jefferson Health System
Kaiser Family Foundation
Local Area Network
Local Coverage Determination (Decision)
Lankenau Hospital
Lankenau Institute for Medical Research
Length of Stay
Licensed Practical Nurse
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Healthcare Acronyms
Acronym
LSC
LTC
LTD
LVN
M.B.A.
M.D.
M.H.A.
M.P.H.
MAC
MAK
MAP
MAR
MBWA
MCCs
MCO
MDS
MEC
MedPAC
MedPar
MER
MFS
MGCRB
MGMA
MI
MIA
MIS
MLA
MLH
MLH & CCA
MLHC
MLHL
MLHR
MLHS
MMA
MMR
MOB
MOC
MOH
MOS
MPI
MQS
MRI
MRN
MSA
MSA
MSDRG
MSG
MSO
MSW
N/A
NACHGR
NAHMOR
NAHQ

Definition
Life Safety Code
Long-Term Care
Long-Term Disability
Licensed Vocational Nurse
Master of Business Administration
Doctor of (Allopathic) Medicine
Master of Health Administration
Master of Public Health
Medicare Administrative Contractor
Medication Administration Checking
Medical Audit Program
Meciation Adminsitration Record
Management By Walking Around
Major Complications & Comorbidities
Managed Care Organization
Minimum Data Set
Medical Executive Committee
Medicare Payment Advisory Committee
Medicare Provider Analysis and Review
Medication Errors Reporting Program (usually MER program)
Medicare Fee Schedule
Medicare Geographic Classification Review Board
Medical Group Management Association
Myocardial Infarction (heart attack; a.k.a. acute myocardial infarction or AMI)
Medically Indigent Adult
Management Information System
Main Line Affiliates
Main Line Health
Main Line Health & Certain Controlled Affiliates
Main Line HealthCare
Main Line Health Laboratories
Main Line Health Realty
Main Line Health System
Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003
Measles, Mumps, Rubella
Medical Office Building
Medical Operations Committee
Ministry of Health
Measure of Success
Master Patient Index
Minimum Quality Standards
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Medical Record Number
Medical Savings Account (now Health Savings Account or HSA)
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Group
Multispecialty Group
Management Services Organization
Medical Social Worker
Not Applicable
National Advisory Council for Human Genome Research
National Association of HMO Regulators
National Association for Healthcare Quality
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Healthcare Acronyms
Acronym
NAIC
NAPH
NAS
NBCH
NBGH
NBME
NCCAM
NCDR
NCHS
NCI
NCID
NCMHD
NCQA
NCQHC
NCVHS
NDNQI
NEJM
NGO
NHGRI
NHLBI
NHPF
NHS
NIA
NIAMS
NICU
NIH
NIHCM
NIOSH
NLM
NLRB
NMR
NP
NPRM
NPSF
NPSG
NQF
NR
NRC
O.D.
O/P
OB
OB/GYN
OIG
OMB
OON
OOP
OPC
OR
OSG
OSHA
OT
OTC
P&L

Definition
National Association of Insurance Commissioners
National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems
National Academy of Sciences
National Business Coalition on Health
National Business Group on Health (formerly the Washington Business Group on Health or WBGH)
National Board of Medical Examiners
National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine
National Cardiovascular Data Registry
National Center for Health Statistics
National Cancer Institute
National Center for Infectious Diseases
National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities
National Committee for Quality Assurance
National Committee for Quality Health Care
National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics
National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators
New England Journal of Medicine
Non-Governmental Organization
National Human Genome Research Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Health Policy Forum
National Health Service (United Kingdom)
National Institute on Aging
National Institutes of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, and Skin Diseases
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
National Institutes of Health
National Institute for Health Care Management
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
National Library of Medicine
National Labor Relations Board
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Nurse Practitioner
Notice of Proposed Rule Making
National Patient Safety Foundation
National Patient Safety Goal
National Quality Forum
Nursing
National Research Corporation
Doctor of Optometry
Outpatient
Obstetrics or Obstetrician
Obstetrician and Gynecologist
Office of the Inspector General
Office of Management and Budget
Out-of-Network
Out-of-Pocket (Payments)
Outpatient Clinic
Operating Room
Office of the Surgeon General
Occupational Health and Safety Administration
Occupational Therapy
Over the Counter (Drug)
Profit and Loss
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Healthcare Acronyms
Acronym
P&O
P4P
PA
PACS
PACU
PARF
PAT
PBT
PCI
PCN
PCM
PCP
PE
PET
PGY
PH
Ph.D.
PharmD
PHC4
PHCQA
PHI
PHO
PhRMA
PHS
PI
PICU
PICU
PMPM
PN
POA
POA
POC
POS
PPE
PPI
PPO
PPR
PPRVU
PPS
PRN
PRN
PRO
PRRB
PSAP
PSI
PSQIA
PT
QA
QC
QI
QIC
QIO
QM

Definition
Prosthetics and Orthotics
Pay-for-performance
Physician Assistant
Picture Archival Computer Systems (mainly radiology)
Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
Pennsylvania Association of Rehabilitation Facilities
Preadmission Testing
Participating Tax-Exempt Bond Transaction
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Primary Care Network
Patient Care Manager
Primary Care Physician (or Provider)
Pulmonary Embolism
Positron Emission Tomography
Postgraduate Year
Paoli Hospital
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Pharmacy
Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council
Pennsylvania HealthCare Quality Alliance
Protected Heatlh Information
PhysicianHospital Organization
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
Public Health Services
Performance Improvement
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Pulmonary Intensive Care Unit
Per Member Per Month
Pneumonia
Present on Admission
Plan of Action
Plan of Correction
Point of Service
Personal Protective Equipment
Producer Price Index
Preferred Provider Organization
Periodic Performance Review
Professional Practice Relative Value Unit
Prospective Payment System
Physician Referral Network
As (often as) or if necessary
Peer Review Organization
Provider Reimbursement Review Board
Public Safety Answering Point
Patient safety indicator
Patient Safety & Quality Improvement Act
Physical Therapy/Therapist
Quality Assurance
Quality Control
Quality Improvement
Qualified Independent Contractor
Quality Improvement Organization (CMS)
Quality Management
Page 9 of 11

Healthcare Acronyms
Acronym
QMB
QR
QTR
RAC
RBRVS
RCA
REIT
RFID
RFP
RHIO
RHQDAPU
RIC
RICO
RM
RN
ROA
ROE
ROI
RRC
RRT
RVS
RVU
RW
RWJF
Rx
S&P
SAMHSA
SARS
SCH
SCHIP
SCI
SCIP
SEC
SEIU
SG
SHCC
SHP
SICU
SmartChart
SNF
SOA
ST
STAT
T&E
TCC
TPA
TQI/TQM
UB-92
UBI
UCR
UDS
UR
URAC

Definition
Qualified Medicare Beneficiary
Quality Review
Quarter
Recovery Audit Contractors
Resource-Based Relative Value Scale
Root Cause Analysis
Real Estate Investment Trust
Radio Frequency Identification Device
Request for Proposal
Regional Health Information Organization
Reporting Hospital Quality Data Annual Payment Update
Rehabilitation Impairment Category
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act
Risk Management
Registered Nurse
Return on Assets
Return on Equity
Return on Investment
Residency Review Commission
Rapid Response Team
Relative Value Scale
Relative Value Unit
Relative Weight
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Prescription
Standard & Poors
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
Sole Community Hospital
State Children's Health Insurance Program
Spinal Cord Injury
Surgical Care Improvement Project
Securities Exchange Commission
Service Employees International Union
Surgeon General
State/Statewide Health Coordinating Council
Specified Health Professional
Surgical Intensive Care Unit
MLH branding for the entire Soarian suite of products
Skilled Nursing Facility
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX is used frequently as well)
Speech Therapy
Sooner than already there, or immediately (from the Latin statim)
Travel & Expense
Transitional Care Center
Third-Party Administrator
Total Quality Improvement/Management
Uniform Billing Code of 1992
Unrelated Business Income
Usual, Customary, and Reasonable (Charges)
Uniform Data System
Utilization Review
Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (now known as URAC)
Page 10 of 11

Healthcare Acronyms
Acronym
VA
VBP
VNA
VO
VPMA
VTE
WAN
WC
WHI
WHO
WIC
WKKF
WNV
YTD
ZEBRA

Definition
Veterans Administration/Affairs
Value Based Purchasing
Visiting Nurses Association
Verbal Orders
Vice President of Medical Affairs
Venous Thromboembolism
Wide Area Network
Wheelchair
Womens Health Initiative
World Health Organization
Women, Infants, and Children (a federal assistance program)
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
West Nile Virus
Year-to-Date
Zero Balanced Reimbursement Account

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