Individual, usually a registered nurse, who counsels patients on follow-up doctor visits, teaches a patient how to read prescription drugs, takes care of other medical needs, makes appointments with doctors, and helps discharged patients with their transition to home care. He or she makes regular house visits or talks to patients on the telephone and may be employed by an insurance company.

Set of standard evaluation measures that gives information about the quality and performance of a health plan such as the quality of care, access, cost, patient satisfaction, membership and use, financial information, management, and other measures to compare managed care plans. Employers, health maintenance organizations, and the National Committee for Quality Assurance developed HEDIS. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) collects HEDIS data for Medicare plans.

Community-based gathering of people with a festival atmosphere that offers vendors with health-related services, educational lectures, diagnostic screening, and counseling services for prevention of disease and to promote health.

Organization accredited and staffed by the American National Standards Institute in 1991. It was replaced by the Healthcare Informatics Standards Board (HISB) in 1995. See Healthcare Informatics Standards Board (HISB) .

Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), any data, oral or recorded in any medium that is created or received by a health care provider, health plan, public health authority, employer, life insurer, school or university, or health care clearinghouse. The data relate to the past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual or future payment for the provision of health care to an individual.

Electronic transmission of health-related data among health care organizations that conforms to nationally recognized standards.

Department in a hospital facility that organizes, maintains, produces, stores, retains, disseminates, and keeps secure patient health information. Also referred to as medical records .

Trained specialist who may be certified and/or licensed and is responsible for designing and maintaining a method that assists with the collection, use, and dissemination of health and medical information.

Association that oversees and governs the exchange of health-related data between organizations that conforms to nationally recognized standards.

Computer system created for coding and billing data for hospital services provided to patients.