Healthcare Acronyms

KPI

Key Performance Indicator(s)

KS

Kaposi sarcoma

KUB

Kidney, ureter, bladder (x-ray)

LAD

Leukocyte adhesion deficiency

LAMA

Left against medical advice

LBP

Lower back pain

LBW

Low birth weight

LCD

Local coverage determinations

LIH

Left inguinal hernia

LLL

Left lower lobe

LLQ

Left lower quadrant

LMS

Learning management system

LOF

Loss of fluid

LOS

Length of stay

LPC

Licensed professional counselor

LPHA

Local public health agency

LPN

Licensed practical nurse

LPT

Licensed physical therapist

LRN

Laboratory Response Network

LSA

Legislative Service Agency

LTC

Long-term care

LTCH

Long-term care hospital

LTSS

Long term social services

LUL

Left upper lobe

LUQ

Left upper quadrant

LV

Left ventricle

LVN

Licensed vocational nurse

MA

Medicare Advantage

MAC

Medicare Administrative Contractor

MACPAC

Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission

MACRA

Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015

MB

Market basket

MBI

Market basket index

MCO

Managed care organization

MD

Doctor of Medicine

MD

Muscular dystrophy

MDA

Muscular Dystrophy Association

MDC

Major Diagnostic Category

MDD

Maximum daily dose

MDH

Medicare Dependent Hospital

MDP

Measure Development Plan

MDS

Minimum Data Set

ME

Medical examiner

MEI

Medical economic index

MEI

Medicare Economic Index

mEq.

Milliequivalent

MFS

Medicare fee schedule

MG

Milligram

MGCRB

Medicare Geographic Classification Review Board

MHA

Master of Hospital Administration Master of Health Administration

MH&A

Mental Health & Addictions

MHI

Mental Health Integration

MHS

Master of Health Studies

MHSA

Master of Health Services Administration

MI

Myocardial infarction; also Mitral insufficiency or Mental institution

MIPPA

Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008

MIPS

Merit-based Incentive Payment System

ML

Milliliter

MLP

Mid-level practitioner

MLR

Minimum Loss Rate

MMA

Medicare Modernization Act of 2003

MMRS

Metropolitan medical response system

MOB

Medical office building

MOH

Ministry of Health

MOM

Milk of magnesia

MPA

Master of Public Administration

MPH

Master of Public Health

MR

Mental retardation

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging

MS

Mitral stenosis; also Master of Science or Medical scientist

MS

Multiple sclerosis

MSA

Metropolitan statistical area

MSN

Master of Science in Nursing

MSO

Management service organization

MSW

Master of Social Work

MUA

Medically underserved area

MUP

Medically underserved population

MVA

Motor vehicle accident

MVP

Minimally Viable Product

MVPS

Medicare volume performance standard

MedPAC

Medicare Payment Advisory Commission

Mono

Mononucleosis

N/V

Nausea vomiting

NAD

No acute distress

NB

Newborn

NBC

Nuclear, Biological, Chemical

NCD

National coverage determination

NCQA

National Committee for Quality Assurance

ND

Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine

NDMS

National Disaster Medical System

NF

Nursing facility

NIC

Neonatal intensive care

NICU

Neonatal intensive care unit

NIDDM

Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

NIH

National Institutes of Health

NIMS

National Incident Management System

NIPP

National Infrastructure Protection Plan

NKDA

No known drug allergies

NLRB

National Labor Relations Board

NM

Neuromuscular

NNDSS

Nationally Notifiable Disease Surveillance System

NP

Nurse practitioner

NPI

National Provider Identifier

NPO

Nothing by mouth

NPRM

Notice of Proposed Rule Making

NQF

National Quality Forum

NQS

National Quality Strategy

NRP

National Response Plan

NTG

Nitroglycerin

NVD

Normal vaginal delivery

Nat/O

Birth

O2

Oxygen

OASIS

Outcome and Assessment Information Set

OB-GYN

Obstetrics and gynecology

OBRA

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act

OCD

Obsessive compulsive disorder

OCM

Oncology Care Model

OCP

Oral contraceptive pill

OCR

Office for Civil Rights

OD

Doctor of Optometry

OD

Right eye

ODS

Organized delivery system

OGTT

Oral glucose tolerance test

OH/OHT 

Ontario Health/Ontario Health Team

OIG

Office of the Inspector General

OMB

Office of Management and Budget

ON

Optic neuritis

ONC

Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

OPD

Outpatient department

OPO

Organ procurement organization

OPP

Out-of-pocket payments

OPPS

Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System

OPV

Oral polio vaccine

OR

Operating room

OS

Left eye

OSA

Obstructive sleep apnea

OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OT

Occupational therapy

OTC

Over the counter

OU

Both eyes

P

Pulse

P&A

Percussion and auscultation

P4P

Pay for Performance

PA

Physician assistant

PA

Posterior-anterior

PA or PT

Patient

PACS

Picture archiving and communication system

PALS

Pediatric advanced life support

PAP

Pulmonary artery pressure; Papanicolaou test

PAPR

Personal air-purifying respirator

PAT

Paroxysmal Atrial Tachycardia

PBI

Protein-bound iodine

PC

After meals

PCMH

Patient-Centered Medical Home

PCN

Primary care network

PCN

Penicillin

PCORI

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute

PCP

Primary care physician/provider

PD

Parkinson's disease

PDL

Prescription drug list

PDP

Prescription drug plan

PE

Pulmonary embolism

PECOS

Medicare Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System

PEEP

Positive end expiratory pressure

PET

Positron emission tomography

PFFS

Private fee-for-service

PFPMs

Physician Focused Payment Models

PFS

Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

pH

Acidity or alkalinity. pH 7 = neutral, above 7 = alkalinity increases, below 7 = acidity decreases.

PHN

Public health nurse

PHO

Physician hospital organization

PHS

Public Health Service

PID

Pelvic inflammatory disease

PIH

Pregnancy induced hypertension

PKD

Polycystic kidney disease

PMPM

Per-member/per-month

PMS

Premenstrual syndrome

PNS

Peripheral nervous system

PNV

Prenatal vitamins

PO

Per os (by mouth)

POS

Point of service

PPACA

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

PPE

Personal protective equipment

PPI

Producer price index

PPO

Preferred provider organization

PPRC

Physician Payment Review Commission

PPS

Prospective payment system

PQRS

Physician Quality Reporting System (CMS)

PRN

As needed

PRO

Peer review organization

PRRB

Provider reimbursement review board

PSA

Prostate-specific antigen

PSO

Provider sponsored organization

PT

Physical therapy

PTAC

Professional and Technical Advisory Committee

PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Ped.

Pediatrics; also Pediatrician

Post-op

Postoperative (after surgery)

Pre-op

Preoperative (before surgery)

Preemy

Premature infant

q2h

Every 2 hours

q3h

Every 3 hours

qam

Every morning

qd

Once a day

qh

Once every hour

qhs

At bedtime

qid

Four times a day

qod

Every other day

qpm

Every evening

QA

Quality assurance

QBP

Quality Based Procedure

QCDR

Qualified Clinical Data Registry

QE

Qualified Entity

QI

Quality improvement

QIO

Quality Improvement Organization

QP

Qualifying APM Professional

QRDA

Quality Reporting Document Architecture

QRUR

Quality and Resource Use Reports

RA

Rheumatoid arthritis

RA

Right atrium

RAC

Recovery Audit Contractor

RAD

Radiation-absorbed dose

RAD

Reactive airway disease

RBC

Red blood count

RBC

Red blood cell

RBRVS

Resource-Based Relative Value Scale

RCM

Remote Case Management

RDI

Recommended daily intake

RDS

Respiratory distress syndrome

REM

Rapid eye movements

RF

Risk factor

RHC

Rural health clinic

RHD

Rheumatic heart disease

RPB 6

Regional Policy Board 6 (AHA)

RUC

AMA/Specialty Society Relative Value Update Committee

RUGs

Resource utilization groups

RUL

Right upper lobe

RUQ

Right upper quadrant

RV

Right ventricle, residual volume

RVS

Relative value scale

RVU

Relative value unit

RWG

Refugee Working Group

RXN

Reaction

Rx

Prescription, treatment

S/S

Signs and symptoms

SAB

Spontaneous abortion

SAMHSA

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

SARS

Severe acute respiratory syndrome

SBO

Small bowel obstruction

SBS

Shaken baby syndrome

SC

Subcutaneous

SC/SQ

Subcutaneous

SCH

Sole community hospital

SCHIP

State Children's Health Insurance Program

SCIC

Significant change in condition

SEIU

Service Employees International Union

SEOC

State emergency operations center

SGR

Sustainable Growth Rate

SICU

Surgical intensive care unit

SIDS

Sudden infant death syndrome

SMDA

Safe Medical Devices Act (1990)

SME

State medical examiner

SNF

Skilled Nursing Facility

SNP

Special Needs Plan

SNS

Strategic National Stockpile

SOB

Shortness of breath

SPECT

Single-photon-emission computerized tomography

SSA

Social Security Administration

SSI

Supplemental Security Income

START

Simple triage and rapid transport

STAT

Immediately

STD

Sexually transmitted disease

STHP

Short Term Health Plan

SX

Symptoms

Stat.

Immediately

T

Temperature

T&C

Type and cross (blood)

T&A

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy

TAB

Tablet

TAH

Total abdominal hysterectomy

TB

Tuberculosis

TBI

Traumatic brain injury

TCMP

Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners

TCPI

Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative

TGA

Transient global amnesia

TIN

Tax Identification Number

TIW

Three times a week

TLC

Total lung capacity

TMA

Transitional Medical Assistance

TPA

Third-party administrator or third-party administration

TPA

Tissue plasminogen activator (dissolve clots), total parenteral alimentation (intravenous nutritional needs)

TPR

Temperature, pulse, respiration

TQI

Total quality improvement

TQM

Total quality management

TRHCA

Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006

TSA

Transportation Security Administration

Temp.

Temperature