Self-help Organizations: From 1 Different Sources
Organizations, usually set up by patients or their relatives, that provide people affected by particular conditions with information, support, and, sometimes, financial aid.
A framework through which health organizations are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services and safeguarding high standards of care.... clinical governance
A process whereby a programme of study or an institution is recognized by an external body as meeting certain predetermined standards. Accreditation is often carried out by organizations created for the purpose of assuring the public of the quality of the accredited institution or programme. The state or federal governments can recognize accreditation in lieu of, or as the basis for licensure or other mandatory approvals. Public or private payment programmes often require accreditation as a condition of payment for covered services. Accreditation may either be permanent or may be given for a specified period of time. See also “licence”.... accreditation
A concentration of control by a few organizations over other existing organizations through consolidation of facility assets that already exist. Acquisitions, mergers, alliances and formation of contractual networks are examples of consolidation.... consolidation
Help provided to persons with one or more disability by organizations, or individuals representing organizations (whether profit-making or non-profit-making, government or private), or by other persons (excluding family, friends or neighbours as described in informal help) who provide assistance on a regular, paid basis and who are not associated with any organization.... formal assistance
The sector consisting of organized public and private health services (including health promotion, disease prevention, diagnostic, treatment and care services), the policies and activities of health departments and ministries, health-related nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and community groups, and professional associations.... health sector
The multidisciplinary field of scientific investigation that studies how social factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, health technologies, and personal behaviours affect access to health care, the quality and cost of health care, and ultimately health and well-being. Its research domains are individuals, families, organizations, institutions, communities and populations.... health services research
Services, facilities, institutions, personnel or establishments, organizations and those operating them for the delivery of a variety of health programmes.... health system infrastructure
A public or private organization that provides home health services supervised by a licensed health professional in a person’s home, either directly or through arrangements with other organizations.... home health agency (hha) / home health care agency
Merging of two or more firms at the same level of production in some formal, legal relationship. In hospital networks, this may refer to the grouping of several hospitals, the grouping of outpatient clinics with the hospital, or a geographic network of various health care services. Integrated systems seek to integrate both vertically with some organizations and horizontally with others. See “vertical integration”.... horizontal integration
Umbrella term describing the private and voluntary sectors. The private sector consists of individuals or organizations that run services for a profit. The voluntary sector covers a range of not-for-profit organizations, such as charities, housing associations, some religious organizations and some self-help groups.... independent sector
A network of organizations, usually including hospitals and medical practitioner groups, that provides or arranges to provide a coordinated continuum of services to a defined population and is held both clinically and financially accountable for the outcomes in the populations served.... integrated delivery system / integrated services network (isn)
An independent, national or international organization. These organizations may be run either for profit or not for profit.... nongovernmental organization (ngo)
The organization of production whereby one entity controls or owns all stages of the production and distribution of goods or services. In health care, vertical integration can take many forms, but generally implies that medical practitioners, hospitals and health plans have combined their organizations or processes in some manner to increase efficiencies, increase competitive strength, or improve quality of care. Integrated delivery systems or health care networks are generally vertically integrated. See “horizontal integration”.... vertical integration
(AMA) a professional organization for US physicians. Its purposes include dissemination of scientific information through journals, a weekly newspaper, and a website; representation of the profession to Congress and state legislatures; keeping members informed of pending health and medical legislation; evaluating prescription and non-prescription drugs; and cooperating with other organizations in setting standards for hospitals and medical schools. The AMA maintains a comprehensive directory of licensed physicians in the US.... american medical association
n. the use of political power or authority to set, monitor, and enforce standards within systems or organizations. Within the UK National Health Service, there are two principal governance frameworks within which health-care professionals must work: *clinical governance and research governance.... governance
QAPI establishes strategies for promoting high quality health care. First, each organization must meet certain required levels of performance when providing specific health care and related services. Second, organizations must conduct performance improvement projects that are outcome-oriented and that achieve demonstrable and sustained improvement in care and services. It is expected that an organization will continuously monitor its own performance on a variety of dimensions of care and services, identify its own areas for potential improvement, carry out individual projects to undertake system interventions to improve care, and monitor the effectiveness of those interventions.... quality assessment and performance improvement programme (qapi)
An illness characterized by habitual, compulsive, longterm, heavy consumption of alcohol and the development of withdrawal symptoms when drinking is suddenly stopped.
Three causative factors interact in the development of the illness: personality, environment, and the addictive nature of alcohol. Inadequate, insecure, or immature personalities are more at risk. Environmental factors are important, especially the ready availability, affordability, and social acceptance of alcohol. Genetic factors may play a part in causing dependence in some cases, but it is now widely believed that anyone, irrespective of personality, environment, or genetic background, can become an alcoholic. Stress is often a major factor in precipitating heavy drinking.
Alcohol dependence usually develops in 4 main stages that occur over a number of years. In the 1st phase, tolerance to alcohol develops in the heavy social drinker. In the 2nd phase, the drinker experiences memory lapses relating to events during the drinking episodes. In the 3rd phase, there is loss of control over alcohol consumption. The final phase is characterized by prolonged binges of intoxication and mental or physical complications.
Behavioural symptoms are varied and can include furtive, aggressive, or grandiose behaviour; personality changes (such as irritability, jealousy, or uncontrolled anger); neglect of food intake and personal appearance; and lengthy periods of intoxication.
Physical symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, or shaking in the morning; abdominal pain; cramps; numbness or tingling; weakness in the legs and hands; irregular pulse; enlarged blood vessels in the face; unsteadiness; confusion; memory lapses; and incontinence. After sudden withdrawal from alcohol, delirium tremens may occur.
Alcohol-dependent persons are more susceptible than others to a variety of physical and mental disorders (see alcohol-related disorders).
Many alcoholics require detoxification followed by long-term treatment. Different methods of treatment may be combined. Psychological treatments involve psychotherapy and are commonly carried out as group therapy. Social treatments may offer practical help and tend to include family members in the process. Physical treatment generally includes the use of disulfiram, a drug that sensitizes the drinker to alcohol so that he or she experiences unpleasant side effects when drinking. Alcoholics Anonymous and other self-help organizations can provide support and advice.... alcohol dependence
(LINks) groups set up to help local people get involved in the development and delivery of health and social care services; they were replaced by local *Healthwatch organizations in 2013.... local involvement networks
a US system that integrates the financing and delivery of medical care by means of contracts with physicians and with hospitals. The goal is to cut costs through economic incentives, cost sharing, controlling the length of inpatient admissions, and careful management of high-cost cases. Providers of managed care take several different forms, including health maintenance organizations and preferred provider organizations.... managed care
(CQC) a publicly funded independent organization established in 2009 and responsible for regulation of health and social care in England; it replaced the Healthcare Commission, the Commission for Social Care Inspection, and the Mental Health Act Commission. The responsibilities of the commission include publication of national health-care standards; annual assessment of the performance of NHS and social-care organizations; reviewing other (i.e. private and voluntary) health- and social-care organizations; reviewing complaints about the services when it has not been possible to resolve them locally; and investigating serious service failures.... care quality commission
(foundation hospitals) self-governing NHS organizations established under the Health and Social Care Act 2003. Foundation trusts were intended to be accountable to their local communities and *NHS Improvement rather than to central government, while remaining subject to inspection by the *Care Quality Commission in the same way as other health-care providers. In recent years, however, many foundation trusts have required additional government funding due to financial deficits, with the result that central government has regained a large degree of financial and planning control. In practice, few differences now remain between foundation trusts and other NHS acute trusts.... foundation trusts
the person responsible for running a doctor’s surgery, whose role involves managing staff, accounts, and medical records as well as developing the practice’s business strategy. Practice managers also liaise with external bodies, such as local NHS trusts and social service departments, to ensure efficient communication between the various organizations.... practice manager
n. expressing concerns about the professional performance of a member of staff, team, or organization. NHS organizations are required to have a whistle-blowing policy that sets out the procedures to be followed by those who wish to raise questions about an aspect of professional practice. See also public interest disclosure.... whistle-blowing
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