Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
782
Introduction to Health Science
physician assistant (PA) healthcare workers who
practice medicine under the supervision of a
physician; can diagnose, treat, and prescribe
medication for patients
Physician’s Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) a
system created by the American Medical Association
that contains the codes used to report procedures and
services to public and private insurance companies
physiology the functions or inner workings of the body
pictograph a chart that presents data using images
pigment color
pituitary gland gland that releases hormones that
affect the operation of many other glands in the
body; also called the master gland
placebo a harmless substance that contains no
medication
placenta an organ that grows in the uterus to meet
the nutritional needs of the embryo and fetus
plasma a yellowish liquid containing mostly water,
which carries nutrients, hormones, and waste for
other body systems
pleura membranes that line the surfaces of the lungs
plexus an interwoven combination of spinal nerve
roots through which messages pass
plural a term that means more than one in number
pluripotent capable of becoming many different cell
types
point-of-care testing medical diagnostic testing that
is performed outside of a laboratory, closer to where
a patient is receiving care
point of service (POS) insurance plans that have
smaller deductibles and copays than a PPO, but
require a referral from a patient’s primary care
provider before seeing a specialist, like an HMO
does
portal of entry a natural body opening or break in
the skin that provides a way for pathogens to enter
the body
portal of exit a natural body opening or break in the
skin that provides a way for pathogens to leave the
body
portion the amount of food in one serving
posterior a directional term that refers to the back
side of the body
postgraduate term that describes education and
training completed after receiving a bachelor’s
degree
postsecondary education education past high
school that can be obtained at community colleges,
vocational or technical colleges, public and private
colleges and universities, institutes of technology,
and career colleges
posture an important part of body mechanics that
describes the position of a person’s body while
performing a task
power of attorney (POA) the appointment of a
person to make healthcare decisions for someone in
the event that he or she is unable to make his or her
own choices
precise writing written work that uses concrete
rather than fi gurative language and is as specifi c as
possible to avoid confusion
preferred provider organization (PPO) insurance
organization in which insurers contract with private
physicians and hospitals to provide treatment and
care at a reduced cost in return for an increased
number of patients
prefi x a word part that appears at the beginning of a
word
prejudice a strong feeling or belief about a person
or subject that is not based on reason or actual
experience
premium the monthly fees individuals pay into a
shared money pool to receive insurance coverage
primary care teams groups of healthcare providers
that include the primary care physician along with
physician assistants and nurse practitioners who
see the patient in the clinic setting; may also include
nutritionists, pharmacists, social workers, or others
primary motor cortex an area of the frontal lobe that
directs muscle movement through efferent neurons
to muscles in the body
primary nursing a care model in which one RN,
LPN, or LVN is assigned several patients or
residents and is responsible for planning and
carrying out all aspects of care for as long as the
patients are in the care unit
primary research articles scientifi c papers that
provide the original data and conclusions of
researchers who conducted experiments
primary sensory cortex an area of the parietal lobe
dedicated to gathering and interpreting information
regarding the fi ve senses of the body from afferent
neurons
primary source a document that describes research
in which the authors directly participated
privileged communication any private
conversations between a healthcare professional
and a patient, which cannot be disclosed in court
probability the likelihood of something happening
problem-oriented medical record (POMR) a record
organized under a system in which information in
a medical record appears according to the patient’s
problem
professional distance term used to describe the
act of showing a caring attitude toward patients
without trying to become friends
professional look the standards of appearance
normally expected of a qualifi ed person in a work
environment
professional organization an association formed
to unite and inform people who work in the same
occupation
progesterone a hormone that prepares the uterine
lining for an egg to implant
proposals documents that propose or suggest
something
proprietary privately owned and managed