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Show consulting basis with the patient's physician or another community agency. Originally a medieval name for a way station for crusaders where they could be replenished, refreshed, and cared for, hospice is used here for an organized program of care for people going through life's "last station." The whole family is considered the unit of care, and care extends through their period of mourning. I incidence In epidemiology, the number of cases of disease, infection, or some other event having their onset during a prescribed period of time in relation to the unit of population in which they occur. Incidence measures morbidity or other events as they happen over a period of time. Examples include the number of accidents occurring in a manufacturing plant during a year in relation to the number of employees in the plant, or the number of cases of mumps occurring in a school during a month in relation to the number of pupils enrolled in the school. It usually refers only to the number of new cases, particularly of chronic diseases. indemnity Health insurance benefits provided in the form cash payments rather than services. independent practice association (IPA) An organized form of prepaid medical practice in which participating physicians remain in their independent office settings, seeing both enrollees c the IPA and private-pay patients. Participating physicians may be reimbursed by the IPA on a fee-for-service basis or a capitation basis. indigent care Health services provided to the poor or those unable to pay. Since many indigent patients are not eligible for Federal or State programs, the costs which are covered by Medicaid are generally recorded separately from indigent care costs. institutional health services Health services delivered on an inpatient basis in hospitals, nursing homes, or other inpatient institutions. The term may also refer to services delivered on an outpatient basis by departments other organizational units of, or sponsored by, institutions. instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) An index or scale which measures a patient's degree of independence in aspects of cognitive and social functioning including shopping, cooking, doing housework, managing money, and using the telephone. Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) A national private, nonprofit organization whose purpose is to encourage the attainment of uniformly high standards of institutional medical care. Establishes guidelines for the operation of hospitals and other health facilities and conducts survey and accreditation programs. M managed care The body of clinical, financial and organizational activities designed to ensure the provision of appropriate health care services in a cost-efficient manner. Managed care techniques are most often practiced by organizations and professionals which assume risk for a defined population (e.g., health maintenance organizations). Medicaid (Title XIX) A Federally aided, State-operated and administered program which provides medical benefits for certain indigent or low-income persons in need of health and 137 |