Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Glossary
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medical coding the act of assigning numbers to
descriptions of a patient’s diseases, injuries, and
treatments according to established codes
medical diagnosis a determination made by a doctor
that identifi es the cause of a patient’s illness
medical documentation written reports of
observable, measurable, and reproducible fi ndings
from examinations, supporting laboratory or
diagnostic tests, and assessments of a patient
medical errors preventable mistakes that can occur
at any point in the healthcare process and may
potentially cause harm to the patient
medical history a list all of the diseases and
surgeries a patient has had, his or her current
symptoms, results of examinations and diagnostic
tests, treatments, and other health services
medical interpreter an individual who translates for
a patient with limited English profi ciency to ensure
that the patient’s needs are being met
medical record a fi le that contains documents that
describe a specifi c patient’s medical history and
medical care within one healthcare organization;
also known as a chart or fi le
medical terminology special vocabulary that is used
in healthcare and is often formed from Latin and
Greek word parts
Medical Waste Tracking Act a government act that
empowers OSHA to investigate workplaces’ storage
and disposal methods for medical waste
Medicare a government-provided health insurance
program that provides coverage for people 65 years
of age and older; helps with the cost of healthcare,
but doesn’t pay for all medical expenses or long-
term care
medication a substance or mixture of substances that
have been proven through research to have a clear
value in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of
diseases
Medigap private health insurance policies that
individuals must purchase to cover costs not paid
by Medicare
meiosis the sexual process of cell division that
produces four new haploid cells, each with a unique
combination of 23 chromosomes
melanin the brownish-black pigment produced by
melanocytes
memorandum short, informal messages that are sent
between people within an organization
meninges three tough layers of tissue covering the
brain and spinal cord, including the dura mater,
arachnoid mater, and pia mater
meniscus curve at the surface of a liquid caused
when it sticks to the walls of a graduated cylinder
menopause term for the end of fertility and monthly
menstruation, which usually begins around 50
years of age
mental health a component of wellness that
combines emotional, psychological, and social well-
being
metabolize to process a substance through
metabolism
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) a type of staph, or bacterial, infection
caused by the bacterium S. aureus, which is most
common in healthcare settings but is increasingly
found in the community at large
metric system the decimal measurement system
based on the meter, liter, and gram as its primary
units of length, volume, and weight or mass
respectively
mHealth a term that refers to mobile health apps
micropipette an instrument designed for the
measurement of very small volumes
midbrain the section of the brain that includes the
thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and
pineal gland
midsagittal plane the body plane that divides the
body exactly down the midline
minimum data set (MDS) a comprehensive
evaluation of the functional capabilities of each
resident in a long-term care facility
minimum wage the lowest hourly earnings that an
employer can legally pay a worker
misappropriation the unauthorized use of
something that belongs to someone else
misidentifi cation the failure to match the correct
patient to the correct treatment before beginning a
procedure, which is a signifi cant cause of medical
errors
mitered corner a neat corner fold used for making
beds in hospitals
mitochondria organelles that function as power
stations for cells
mitosis the asexual process of cellular reproduction
that creates two identical copies of a cell, each with
a full set of 46 chromosomes
mnemonic device a learning tool that helps students
memorize information
mode the number that occurs most frequently in a
data set
mode of transmission the way in which a pathogen
moves from its reservoir to a new host
molecular imaging a technique that provides
detailed pictures of what is happening inside the
body at the molecular and cellular level
morticians workers who manage funeral homes and
arrange the details of a funeral
morula a solid ball of 16 cells that results when a
zygote divides
mucous membranes thin layers of tissue that line
body cavities to provide a natural barrier against
pathogens
multidisciplinary healthcare team a group of
healthcare workers from different healthcare
specialties, each providing specifi c services to the
patient
multi-drug resistant organisms microorganisms that
are relatively unaffected by infection-battling drugs