1: The World of Health Sciences

Diagnostics

The identifications of diseases, illnesses, and other conditions and the process by which the identification is made

Government healthcare

May serve populations that cannot afford the healthcare costs at other healthcare sites

Health sciences

The application of various sciences to health

Hippocrates

Known as the Father of Medicine

Informatics

Involves the acquisition, organization, and storage of information

Nonprofit institutions

Does not make a profit above the costs of running the healthcare site

Private healthcare

Owned by a for-profit company and the funding comes from patient and insurance payments

Public healthcare

Funded by a variety of sources and open to anyone

Supportive healthcare

May include hospice workers that support and care for terminally ill people; some therapies can be considered in the sense that they help individuals regain skills or learn to do things in a different way

Therapeutic

Concerned with treating disease and healing individuals

Trepanation

Involved drilling a hole into the skull of the patient in order to release intracranial pressure or for other reasons

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

First observed bacteria in 1676 with the help of a microscope

Andreas Vesalius

Flemish physician; sometimes credited as the father of modern human anatomy; he helped create modern neurology through his study of the brain

The Edwin Smith Papyrus

An ancient medical text dating to about 1500 BCE, covering medical procedures as far back as 3000 BCE; discovered by Edwin Smith

Leonardo da Vinci

Used dissections to better understand human anatomy and used his knowledge in portraits

Taxation

The government collects taxes from individual taxpayers and uses a portion of those taxes to pay for healthcare services

Universal healthcare program

Every citizen has free and equal access to medical care

Social insurance programs

These programs serve only a specific population within a country (ex: Medicare)

Medicare

Provides health insurance to individuals over 65, those younger than 65 with a permanent disability, or those who meet specific qualifications

Employer insurance programs

Workers and their families are covered as a work benefit

Affordable Care Act of 2010

Requires all Americans to carry some form of health insurance or else face tax penalties

Patient-centered care

Takes into account the patient's illness as well as their lifestyle and family factors when making decisions about treatment options

Integrative medicine

Alternative medicine alongside or in place of more conventional treatments