Glossary

b c d e f g h i m p q s t w

B

BC Medical Association: Synonyms: BCMA, British Columbia Medical Association
A professional association that represents doctors in British Columbia.
British Columbia College of Family Physicians: Synonyms: BCCFP
An agency that represents family physicians/general practitioners. The BCCFP promotes excellence in Family Medicine through support for family physicians in British Columbia.

Chronic Disease Management: Synonyms: CDM
A way to optimize patient care management by asking patients to come in for regular care and check-ups.
Clinician: A doctor, nurse practitioner, physician assistant or other health care worker who provides patient care.
Continuing Medical Education: Synonyms: CME
Continuing medical education for doctors.

Divisions of Family Practice: Divisions are groups of physicians organized at the local level in order to work together to address common health care goals for their communities. These goals reflect the needs of each Division’s community and are achieved by connecting and collaborating with their local health authorities and other community organizations and services.
Document of Intent: Synonyms: DOI
A document that indicates how groups will work together.

Electronic Medical Record: Synonyms: Electronic Health Record, EMR, EHR
A computerized medical record that may include medical history, medication lists, lab results, etc.

Family Physician: Synonyms: FP
Physicians who specialize in family medicine and provide health care to people of all ages.
Family Physicians for British Columbia: Synonyms: FPs4BC
An initiative that encourages doctors to accept new patients who may not have doctors.

General Practice Services Committee: Synonyms: GPSC
A committee that implements programs to help doctors and their patients.
General Practitioner: Synonyms: GP
A doctor who treats all illnesses (not a specialist). The terms GP, doctor and physician are often used in the same way.
Group Medical Visits: In Group Medical Visits, groups of patients get together with their doctor to learn about their condition, ask questions, share knowledge with other patients, and gain confidence in themselves and their ability to self-manage their chronic conditions.

Health Authorities: Synonyms: HA, Health Authority
NH - Northern Health VCH - Vancouver Coastal Health FH - Fraser Health IH - Interior Health VIHA- Vancouver Island Health Authority
Health care System: A system that delivers health care; it should be safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient & fair.
Health Information Technology: Synonyms: HIT
The use of computers to store and manage patient information.
Health Team: Clinicians and other professionals and non-professional “providers” of health care who are able to give the support, education, and technical care that was traditionally the strict domain of a “Doctor.”

ImpactBC: A not-for-profit organization that supports health system quality improvement in BC.

Medical Office Assistant: Synonyms: MOA
Usually the person who greets you at the reception desk in the doctor’s office.
Ministry of Health: Synonyms: MoH
Ministry of Health
Model for Improvement: Synonyms: MFI
A process used to help implement change.

Patient Attachment: Connecting every citizen with a primary health care provider who provides him or her with comprehensive, ongoing care.
Patients as Partners: Synonyms: PasP
A program that supports health care providers to communicate and share information with patients and families in ways that are useful, helps individuals and families build on their own strengths, and increases their control and independence.
Pilot Session or Study: Testing a new idea before offering to larger numbers of people.
Plan, Do, Study, Act: Synonyms: PDSA
PDSA represents the 4 phases in small tests of changes: PLAN a small test of change, DO (implement) that change, STUDY the results – what happened, and ACT – decide whether to continue with the same test, adjust it or abandon it, continue with more PDSA cycles, etc.
Practice Support Program: Synonyms: PSP
Helps doctors and their staff to make changes in their practices (in partnership with General Practice Services Committee, BC Medical Association and Ministry of Health).
Primary Care: The health care provider who acts as a first point of contact for all patients (usually your regular doctor). Continuity of care is also a key characteristic of primary care.
Primary Care Provider: Synonyms: PCP
Primary Care Provider (see definition of primary care)
Provider: A term referring to doctors, nurses, and other health care workers who provide health care services.

Quality (in health care): Quality of health care is a measure of how well it delivers care and serves the needs of the patients.

Self-management: Synonyms: Self-care
Self-management or self-care refers to what we do every day to maintain our health and manage long-term health problems.

Teleconference: A phone call that multiple people can participate in. Everyone dials into a common number and, once connected, all participants can hear each other.

Webinar: Short for Web-based seminar, a webinar is a presentation, lecture, workshop or seminar that is transmitted over the internet. In a webinar, each participant sits at his or her own computer and is connected to other participants via the internet and teleconference. A key feature of a Webinar is its interactive elements -- the ability to give, receive and discuss information.