Category: R

As used in connection with computer software, the probability of failure and the consequences of that failure.  

An actuary’s statement of the risk presented by a group of individuals which is being considered for enrollment in health care insurance. This risk statement is the basis for rating the group, i.e., determining the insurance premium to be charged. For community rating, the risk statement is for the entire community; for experience rating, the…

The likelihood of disease, injury, or death among various groups of individuals and from different causes. Individuals are said to be “at risk” if they are in a group in which a given causal factor is present. Patients who smoke are at risk from smoking; patients undergoing appendectomy are at risk from this operation. This…

Chance of loss, the type of which can usually be covered by insurance. To a health care institution, the risk may arise through general liability (such as a visitor slipping and falling on hospital premises) or professional liability (harm to a patient from medical or hospital care). It may also arise because of other hospital…

A chance of monetary loss; direct exposure. A health care plan (for example, a health maintenance organization) is said to be at risk if it offers prepaid care for a given fee or premium. The plan is at risk because it must provide the care within the premium funds available, find the money elsewhere (the…

A service of the institution for which charges are made directly on the patient’s bill, such as use of the operating room.  

A drug manufactured by Burroughs Wellcome, used in the treatment of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The generic name is ziduvudine. The drug was formerly called azidothymidine (AZT).  

A meeting for the purpose of bonding a group, and doing intensive thinking and planning, away from the distractions of regular daily responsibilities and duties. Retreats are ordinarily held by organizations, that is, by a group (or key members of a group) which already exists, and which wants to clarify its thinking, increase its members…

A person who provides certain respiratory therapy treatments under the supervision of a physician. The American Medical Association’s Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA) has an accredited education program for this field. A technician who routinely treats patients requiring noncritical respiratory care and who recognizes and responds to specified respiratory emergencies.  

A person who helps a respiratory therapist by maintaining and transporting equipment, transporting patients, and otherwise assisting.