Addendum 1: Terminology



Medical Terminology

Terminology that you may encounter in hospital interviews:

1. Outcome studies: All facilities look at some outcomes, to measure how well they care for their patients. This may be the FIM for adults; or the Wee-FIM, PEDI or FRESNO for Pediatrics. These are standardized tools that measure a facility’s outcomes against other similar facilities in the state or across the nation.

2. VSS, VFSS, OPMS, Swallow Studies, Videos: All names for Videofluoroscopic Swallow Studies. Not to be confused with FEES (FiberEndoscopic Evaluation of Swallow), Clinical/ Bedside Assessments of Swallow, or Blue Dye Studies.

3. Traches and Vents: Shortened form for unit that cares for patients with Tracheostomies, who may or may not be ventilator dependent.

4. JCAHO: Joint Commission Accrediting Hospital Organizations

5. CARF: Committee on Accreditation of Rehab Facilities

6. DHS: Department of Health Services

7. Continuum of Care: The step-by-step divisions of medical care, defined by medical acuity (stability and predictability of recovery) of the patient. (see Continuum of Care chart).

8. Medicare 700, 701s: Initial, monthly progress, and discharge report formats used for all outpatient and SNF/ TLC Medicare therapy patients. Recently, the actual forms have been eliminated in favor of each facility creating their own form that provides the same information. Many facilities still use these forms, though, or at least refer to them.

9. TAR: Treatment Authorization Request for pre-approval of speech/language therapy for outpatients patients with MediCal (in California). Easy to do: If the facility has a sample for you, with their provider numbers and the treatment codes, you can fill out the form.

Additional payer sources you may encounter in speech or audiology, hospital or private practice:

a. HMO: Health Maintenance Organization. Contracts vary from location to location; however, all services must be requested by primary care physician (PCP), and pre-approved by UR.

b. PPO: Preferred Provider Organization. Contracts vary from location to location, and from employer plan to employer plan. Often Speech and Audiology services are only covered if there is a loss of speech or hearing due to an illness or injury. If in doubt, you should always ask.

Continuum of Care

|From most acute to least acute: | |Typical emphasis or patient type: |

|ER |Emergency Room or |Preservation of life |

| |ED Emergency Department | |

|ICU |Intensive Care Unit |Non-stable: |

| | |Traches and Vents |

| | |Swallowing |

| | |Head Injury or SCI |

|Acute or I/P |General Inpatient Hospital Beds (post-surgical,|Swallowing |

| |early post-stroke, illness) |Basic Communication |

| | |Safety/ Family Training |

| | |Early CVA |

|Acute Rehab (Unit) |Inpatient Rehab Unit, specifically designed for|Medically stable |

| |patients with intensive therapy needs (must be |CVA, Head Injury, |

| |able to tolerate 3 hours of therapy per day) |SCI, THR, TKR, |

| | |Misc. Neuro Diagnoses |

| | |(ex: Guillan-Barre, |

| | |MS exacerbation) |

|SNF |Skilled Nursing Facility |Could be on a Therapy Program or a Maintenance |

| | |Program |

|TCU or TLC |Transitional Care Unit or Transitional Living |Needs further training to go home safely & |

| |Center |independently |

|Home Health |Medicare says patient must be home-bound, |May be more medically fragile than typical CVA |

| |unable to come in to an 0utpatient Facility |patient, may require home infusion, 24 hour |

| | |nursing care. |

|Adult Day Health Care |Free-standing facility for comprehensive |Could be a therapy program or a maintenance |

| |Speech, PT, OT, and Other Health Services to |program. |

| |ambulatory community-level patients. Patients | |

| |could be adult DD, post-stroke, or have chronic| |

| |health conditions. | |

|O/P |Outpatient Rehab, usually an outpatient clinic,|Living at home with |

| |often found in hospitals. Patients may see one|CVA: Residual |

| |or more disciplines. |Swallowing Difficulties, |

| | |Aphasia, Apraxia, |

| | |Dysarthria |

|Community-based |College clinics, support groups, community |Continued therapy needs after discharge from |

| |centers, and gym programs |clinic-based; typically need more practice, |

| | |making slower but steady progress. |

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