Medical Terminology for Patient Access 3 Flashcards
6 cards from real CHAA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Medical Terminology for Patient Access 3 flashcards as text
What does the prefix 'tachy-' mean in medical terminology?
Answer: Rapid or fast
'Tachy-' means rapid or fast. For example, tachycardia refers to an abnormally fast heart rate, which patient access staff may see frequently in admission documentation.
What does the suffix '-plasty' mean?
Answer: Surgical repair or reconstruction
'-plasty' means surgical repair or reconstruction. Rhinoplasty (nose) and angioplasty (blood vessel) are common examples a patient access associate might encounter on authorization forms.
What does the root word 'nephro-' refer to?
Answer: Kidney
'Nephro-' comes from the Greek word for kidney. Nephrology is the branch of medicine dealing with kidney diseases, and nephrectomy is surgical removal of a kidney.
What does the prefix 'peri-' mean in medical terminology?
Answer: Around or surrounding
'Peri-' means around or surrounding. The pericardium is the membrane surrounding the heart. Patient access staff encounter this prefix in procedure names like 'pericardiocentesis.'
What does the suffix '-ology' mean?
Answer: The study of
'-ology' means the study of. Cardiology is the study of the heart, neurology is the study of the nervous system. Patient access staff use these specialty names daily when routing patients to the correct department.
What does the suffix '-otomy' mean?
Answer: Surgical incision into
'-otomy' means a surgical incision into a body part. A tracheotomy is an incision into the trachea. It is important to distinguish '-otomy' (incision) from '-ectomy' (removal) when reviewing procedure orders during patient registration.