Beginner's Guide to Medical Terminology

I have worked in the medical profession for the last 13 years in cancer care and now in mental health.  I also just finished my bachelor’s in Health Information Management and have had medical terminology up the wazoo.  Here’s a quick intro lesson on medical terminology 101.  Medical terminology is based off Latin. 

For example…..gastro- means stomach.  –Entero means small intestines.  –ologist means specialist.  When combined, what may look like a really long word is just simply several shorter latin based words put together.  Gastroenterologist is a specialist (-ologist) who studies the stomach (gastro), and small intestines (-entero).  Another example – pulmo means lung.  A pulmonologist is a physician who specializes in treating the lungs.  Once you learn the prefixes, the medical world seems a lot less scary.

ab-                              away from

abdomin/o                abdomen

ad-                              toward or in the direction of

aden/o                       gland

-algia, -dynia             pain and suffering

ana-                            excessive

angi/o                        blood vessel

ankyl-                         crooked, bent, or stiff

anter/o                      front or before

appendic/o               appendix

arteri/o                      artery

arthr/o                      joint

ather/o                      plaque or fatty substance

burs/o                       bursa

carcin/o                     cancerous

cardi/o                       heart

caud/o                       tail or lower part of the body

-centesis                    a surgical puncture to remove fluid

cephal/o                    head

chondr/o                   cartilage

-clasis                         to break

cost/o                         rib

crani/o                       skull

-crine                         to secrete

cyan/o                        blue

cyt/o                           cell

dermat/o                   skin

-desis                          surgical fixation of bone or joint

dia-                             through, across

dors/o                                    back of the body

dys-                             bad, difficult, or painful

-ectomy                     surgical removal

endo-                          within

enter/o                      small intestine

epi-                             upon, above

erythr/o                    red

eti-                              cause

eu-                              good, normal, well, or easy

exo-                            out of

-gen                            producing

-gram                         a record writing

-graphy                      the process of recording

hepat/o                      liver

hist/o                         tissue

home/o                     same

So there are a ton more words we could go over, but let’s take a few of these and combine them into words you already know.  Hyster- means uterus.  –ectomy means surgical removal.  Hysterectomy means surgical removal of the uterus.  Appendic- means appendix.  –ectomy means surgical removal.  Appendictomy means surgical removal of the appendix.  Cardio- means heart.  –Gram means a record writing.  A cardiogram is just a recording of what your heart is doing. 

Here are some links to the most commonly used medical terms and their definitions:

http://quizlet.com/4714472/quick-and-easy-medical-terminology-review-for-chapters-1-7-flash-cards/

A quiz on medical terminology:  http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz4508452c228.html

http://kidshealth.org/kid/word/

http://quizlet.com/31202465/easily-confused-medical-terms-1-flash-cards/

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/medical-terminology-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html

Confused about Health Care Reform?

Hello, Utah Kids families!  My name is Brandee Garvoille, I have a son that’s almost 15, and a daughter, 10 years-old; both are on the Autism Spectrum, have other learning disabilities, and severe ADHD, so things can be a little crazy at our house!  Not to mention, I also work full-time!  I began my career in the insurance industry by working on the carrier side.  I worked with IHC Health Plans (which later became SelectHealth) for almost 6 years.  The Insurance Exchange recognized my talent, and hired me to start working with them in 2005.  I have an extensive understanding of all aspects of placing and servicing insurance policies that I learned while working on the carrier side.  In 2007, I obtained my insurance license, which allowed me to expand my roll with The Insurance Exchange even more.  I love my job!  As crazy as it sounds, I’m passionate about insurance!  However, I know how extremely frustrating it is; the denials, the benefits, the customer service, and to now throw “Obamacare” in to the mix.  I love when I can answer questions, and help people with their insurance needs!

On November 15^th the second Open Enrollment for individual healthcare through the Federally Funded Marketplace, or directly with the carrier of your choice, begins.  For most of us, there are still a lot of questions, and some confusion, in regards to HealthCare Reform, aka Obamacare, aka PPACA, aka ACA.  In this post, I’ll do my best, to break it down and explain it in laymen’s terms.

The biggest thing that came about with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, that especially affects our special needs kids, is that everyone is now guarantee issue.  You cannot be denied or rated up on an individual policy for health conditions.  Waiting Periods and Exclusions for Pre-Existing Conditions have also been eliminated.   This was huge for our kids! 

One of the biggest confusions has been when an individual can apply for coverage; you are no longer able to apply for an individual policy whenever you want.  Open Enrollment is November 15, 2014 through February 15, 2015.  Outside of Open Enrollment, you are only able to enroll in a plan if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.  A few examples of qualifying life events include:

·         Marriage or divorce

·         Having a baby, adopting a child, or placing a child for adoption or foster care

·         Moving your residence, gaining citizenship, leaving incarceration

·         Losing other health coverage due to losing job-based coverage, COBRA expiration, aging off a parent’s plan, losing eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, and similar circumstances.

An important thing to remember is that voluntarily ending coverage doesn’t qualify your for a Special Enrollment Period.

In order to make health insurance more affordable to you and your family, it is possible to have help from the Federal Government in paying your premiums.  This assistance is called Advanced Premium Tax Credits aka Subsidies.  In order to obtain a subsidy, you must apply through the Federal Marketplace, several carriers (Altius, Humana, SelectHealth), allow you to go through their website, as it is connected to healthcare.gov, to see if you qualify for a subsidy.  These subsidies are generally available for the following people:

·         Individuals who are not offered insurance through their work

·         Those who are not eligible for a public plan like Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP

·         Those with annual income between 100 and 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

These subsides are based on certain criteria such as family size, age, and income.  To qualify for a subsidy, you must:

·         Be a citizen or legal resident of the U.S.

·         Have a family income between 100 to 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level based on Modified Gross Income.

·         Not have access to a qualified employer-sponsored health plan that provides minimum value (actuarial value of at least 60 percent) and that is affordable (does not cost you more than 9.5 percent of your income)

·         Not eligible for public coverage-including Medicaid, CHIP, Medicare, or military coverage

·         Use your subsidy to purchase insurance.

Many of you may be on a “grandfathered” or “grandmothered” plan; this is part of ACA that says you can keep your current coverage without changing.  Many employers, and some individuals, have chosen to remain on their old plan, and not change to a plan that complies with ACA.  However, if you ever want to change this plan in any way, i.e., your deducible, co-pays, or co-insurance, etc., you would have to move to a new plan.

There is a tremendous amount of information that is available, a tremendous amount of regulation, and requirements in regards to PPACA.  The information above is only meant to be a summary of the more pressing issues dealt with on a daily basis.  The good news is you never have to try and navigate this alone!  Please don’t hesitate to contact me, Brandee Garvoille, with questions on your specific situation.  My office number is (801) 262-2691, or email me at brandee@ieutah.com.  

How to Deal with Burnout

This article is not directly related to special needs but the information is just as important.  This is reposted with permission.

Anil was beyond exhausted.  He had taken on a new job because it promised greater prestige and more income.  But now that he was working late nights as well as weekends, sometimes up to 80 hours a week.  “The work environment was chaotic,” he states, “and all the responsibility fell on me.  I said to myself: ‘What have I done?  If I don’t make a change, I’m dead.’  Anil was rapidly burning out.

Workplace burnout is more than the mere tiredness, and it goes beyond the ordinary stress of everyday work.  Burnout is characterized by chronic exhaustion and strong feelings of frustration and powerlessness.  Those suffering from burnout tend to withdraw emotionally from their work, lose motivation, and become less productive.  Studies also link burnout to numerous emotional and physical health problems.

What causes burnout?  Work overload is often a factor.  Because of economic pressures, some employers demand that employees work longer hours, at times for less money.  Technology now keeps some in constant contact with their job, blurring the lines between work and private life.  For some, job insecurity, lack of control over their work or feelings of being treated unfairly contribute to burnout.  So does dealing with unclear priorities or conflicts with coworkers.

Burnout can also be self-inflicted.  In the pursuit of career goals and greater income, some try to fit ever more work into their life.  Such ones may become over-committed and find themselves on the road to burnout.

If you are experiencing workplace burnout, how can you recover?  Granted, change may seem impossible if you feel trapped in circumstances beyond your control.  Nevertheless, consider the following four steps for dealing with burnout.  You may have more options than you realize.

Ø  Evaluate Your Priorities

What is most important to you?  Many people would likely put family relationships and good health near the top of their list.  These are things that are likely to suffer if you are burned out.

By clarifying your priorities, you prepare yourself to make difficult decisions and accept trade-offs.  For example you may see that your work is leading to burnout.  Yet you my reason, ‘I cannot change jobs or work less; I need the income!’ True, everyone needs income, but how much and at what cost to the things you value most?

Beware of pressure to adopt the priorities and yours are likely different.  Others may choose to put work first in their life, but this does not mean that you must do the same.

Ø  Simplify your Life

To reduce stress and gain time for what you truly value, you may consider working fewer hours, you may be able to persuade your employer to reduce your current job demands, or you may determine you need to change jobs.  Whatever you decide to do, you will likely need to adjust your financial situation and make changes in your lifestyle.  But this is not impossible and may not be as hard ass you might think.

In many lands a consumer-oriented society sends the message that happiness is linked to income level and possessions.  But in reality, it is not.  A simpler lifestyle can bring greater freedom and satisfaction.  To prepare for such a change, reduce expenses and save money.  Try to lower or eliminate debt.  Discuss the need for change with your family members, and seek their support.

Ø  Learn when to say No to Work

If you face an unrealistic workload or some other persistent problem in your workplace, discuss your situation with your employer.  Reassure your employer of your commitment to your work and explain what you are willing to do, but be clear and firm about what you are not able to do.

Use foresight and be realistic.  If you want to work less, your employer may expect you to accept less compensation.  Anticipate risks such as the threat of job loss, and be prepared to respond.  Remember that your prospects for finding a different job are better while you are still employed.

Even when you have reached a mutually agreeable work arrangement with your employer you can expect to be pressured again to take on more work.  What can help you remain firm?  Keeping to the commitments that you have made.  Doing so might give you leverage to ask your employer to do the same in return, including keeping your workload within the agreed limits.

Ø  Renew Yourself

Even when your work is free of major problems, you may still have your share of stresses, difficult people and unpleasant situations.  So make time for sufficient rest and balanced recreation.  Remember that recreations does not have to be expensive so be refreshing to you and your family.

Cultivate interests and friendships apart from your work, and avoid defining yourself by the type and amount of work that you do.  Why?  The book Your Money or Your Life observes: “who you are is far greater than what you do for money.”  If your identity and self worth come primarily from your work, then you will find it difficult to minimize the rule that work plays in your life.