What Is Medical?

Medical is a vast field that encompasses the study of illness and injury, as well as the treatment thereof. The word itself comes from the Latin mederi, meaning “to heal.” From strep throat to a broken wrist, a doctor is able to help patients with many different conditions. Those same doctors, however, must also document each visit and procedure using medical codes in order to obtain reimbursement from insurance companies. A medical coder is the person who interprets physician notes and assigns those notes standard codes, such as CPT(r) and ICD-10-CM.

Medical studies include a broad range of topics, such as anatomy, which is the study of the physical structure of the body; biochemistry, which involves the chemical components of the body; and biology, which studies the growth and development of living organisms. There are also more specific areas of medicine, including endocrinology, which examines hormones; epidemiology, which studies the spread of disease; and radiology, which uses X-rays to diagnose diseases and other conditions.

There are many other words related to medicine and healthcare, such as the following:

ambulatory: Able to walk; not confined to a bed or wheelchair.

age-related macular degeneration: A condition that causes loss of sharp central vision as you get older.

antibiotic: A drug that kills bacteria.

anemia: A low number of red blood cells and hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to the rest of the body and brain.

arthritis: A joint inflammation that causes pain, stiffness and swelling.

artery: A blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart to various parts of the body.

cardiac arrest: The sudden cessation of a normal heart rhythm in which oxygen and nutrients cannot reach the brain and other organs; usually fatal within minutes without cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillation.

cardiologist: A physician who specializes in treating heart diseases and disorders.

cyst: A small sac filled with fluid found on the surface of the skin.

dementia: A disorder that impairs thinking and memory; sometimes called Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia.

dialysis: A process that removes waste and extra fluid from the blood.

dura mater: The tough outer layer of the human body.

etiology: The cause of a disease or condition.

genetics: The study of heredity and how genes affect a person’s traits.

medical coding

In addition to describing conditions, diseases and injuries, medical coding provides a common language for health professionals to communicate with one another. There are thousands of terms, acronyms and names for diseases, procedures and tools. Medical coding standardizes these descriptions for easier tracking and understanding. This standardization is especially important in healthcare, where the highest quality of care depends on accurate and consistent communication among all providers. For example, the following terms must be clearly defined and understood:

Medical is a vast field that encompasses the study of illness and injury, as well as the treatment thereof. The word itself comes from the Latin mederi, meaning “to heal.” From strep throat to a broken wrist, a doctor is able to help patients with many different conditions. Those same doctors, however, must also document each visit and procedure using medical codes in order to obtain reimbursement from insurance companies. A medical coder is the person who interprets physician notes and assigns those notes standard codes, such as CPT(r) and ICD-10-CM. Medical studies include a broad range of topics, such as anatomy, which is the study of the physical structure of the body; biochemistry, which involves the chemical components of the body; and biology, which studies the growth and development of living organisms. There are also more specific areas of medicine, including endocrinology, which examines hormones; epidemiology, which studies the spread of disease; and radiology, which uses X-rays to diagnose diseases and other conditions. There are many other words related to medicine and healthcare, such as the following: ambulatory: Able to walk; not confined to a bed or wheelchair. age-related macular degeneration: A condition that causes loss of sharp central vision as you get older. antibiotic: A drug that kills bacteria. anemia: A low number of red blood cells and hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to the rest of the body and brain. arthritis: A joint inflammation that causes pain, stiffness and swelling. artery: A blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart to various parts of the body. cardiac arrest: The sudden cessation of a normal heart rhythm in which oxygen and nutrients cannot reach the brain and other organs; usually fatal within minutes without cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillation. cardiologist: A physician who specializes in treating heart diseases and disorders. cyst: A small sac filled with fluid found on the surface of the skin. dementia: A disorder that impairs thinking and memory; sometimes called Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia. dialysis: A process that removes waste and extra fluid from the blood. dura mater: The tough outer layer of the human body. etiology: The cause of a disease or condition. genetics: The study of heredity and how genes affect a person’s traits. medical coding In addition to describing conditions, diseases and injuries, medical coding provides a common language for health professionals to communicate with one another. There are thousands of terms, acronyms and names for diseases, procedures and tools. Medical coding standardizes these descriptions for easier tracking and understanding. This standardization is especially important in healthcare, where the highest quality of care depends on accurate and consistent communication among all providers. For example, the following terms must be clearly defined and understood: