Dictionary
The Dictionary provides concise definitions of health economics terms, arranged alphabetically for quick reference. Use it to understand unfamiliar terminology or confirm the meaning of a specific term.
C
- Collaborative CareTermIntegrated Behavioural Care, Care Manager Model
- A structured model, well established for depression management, in which a primary care provider works with a care manager and specialist to adjust treatment.
- Community Health CentreTermCHC, Federally Qualified Health Centre
- A federally supported facility providing comprehensive primary care to underserved populations regardless of ability to pay, often on a sliding fee scale.
E
- Emergency Care CostTermED Cost, Emergency Treatment Expense
- The expense of treatment provided in an emergency department or urgent care setting, typically higher per visit than equivalent primary care.
F
- Federally Qualified Health CenterTermFQHC, Federal Health Center
- A community-based provider receiving US federal funding to deliver comprehensive primary care to medically underserved populations regardless of ability to pay.
G
- Gatekeeping FunctionTermPrimary Care Gatekeeping, Access Gatekeeping
- The role a primary care provider plays in coordinating and authorising a patient's access to specialist care and other services.
H
- Health Maintenance OrganizationTermHMO, Gatekeeper Health Plan
- A managed care organisation delivering comprehensive care through a defined provider network, typically requiring a primary care provider to coordinate access.
P
- Partial CapitationTermBlended Capitation, Partial Capitated Payment
- A capitation arrangement in which a provider assumes financial risk for only a subset of services, such as primary care alone.
- Point of Service PlanTermPOS Plan, Point-of-Service Insurance
- A managed care plan combining HMO and PPO features, requiring a primary care provider while still allowing costlier out-of-network care.
- Prevention Quality IndicatorTermPQI, Preventable-Admission Indicator
- A standardised measure assessing hospital admission rates for conditions considered preventable with adequate primary care access.
- Primary CareTermFirst-Contact Care, General Practice Care
- Basic, first-contact healthcare typically provided by general practitioners, serving as the entry point into a health system and ongoing coordination.
- Primary Care CostTermGP Cost, First-Contact Care Cost
- The expense of healthcare services delivered by general practitioners and other primary care providers, a health system's typical first point of contact.
- Primary Care CoverageTermGP Coverage, First-Contact Coverage
- A measure of the extent to which a population has access to basic, first-contact healthcare services, a foundational coverage indicator.
- Primary Care ModelTermPatient-Centred Medical Home, PCMH
- An organisational approach emphasising accessible, community-based, first-contact care as the health system's foundation, with primary care coordinating overall needs.
R
- Respite CareTermCarer Relief Care, Short-Break Care
- Temporary care services giving a primary carer a planned break from ongoing caregiving responsibilities, delivered at home or in a residential setting.
S
- Secondary CareTermSpecialist Care, Secondary Healthcare
- Specialised medical care typically provided by a specialist following referral from primary care, between basic and highly specialised tertiary care.
- Shared CareTermCollaborative Care Arrangement, Joint Care Management
- A delivery model explicitly sharing responsibility for a patient's ongoing care between a primary care provider and a specialist, with defined roles.
- Specialist Care CoverageTermSpecialist Coverage, Specialised Care Coverage
- A measure of the extent to which a population has access to needed specialised medical care beyond basic primary care.
- Specialist Care ModelTermSpecialist Delivery Model, Specialist-Led Care
- A delivery approach in which patients access specialised medical care, typically following primary care referral, for conditions needing focused expertise.
- Specialty AccessTermSpecialty Care Access, Access to Specialists
- A healthcare access dimension concerning patients' ability to obtain care from specialist providers, often more limited in supply than primary care.