CHAA Medical Terminology for Patient Access

Question 1

What does the prefix 'hyper-' mean in medical terminology?

Accepted Answer

Above normal or excessive

Answer

The prefix 'hyper-' means above normal, excessive, or beyond. For example, hypertension means abnormally high blood pressure, and hyperglycemia means excessive blood sugar. Understanding this prefix helps patient access staff correctly interpret diagnoses and insurance documentation.

Question 2

What does the prefix 'hypo-' mean in medical terminology?

Accepted Answer

Below normal or deficient

Answer

The prefix 'hypo-' means below normal, under, or deficient. For example, hypotension means abnormally low blood pressure, and hypothermia means body temperature below normal. It is the opposite of 'hyper-' and is commonly seen in diagnoses and medical reports.

Question 3

What does the suffix '-ectomy' mean?

Accepted Answer

Surgical removal of

Answer

The suffix '-ectomy' means surgical removal or excision. For example, appendectomy is the surgical removal of the appendix, and cholecystectomy is the surgical removal of the gallbladder. Patient access staff encounter this suffix frequently when processing surgical authorizations.

Question 4

What does the suffix '-itis' indicate?

Accepted Answer

Inflammation

Answer

The suffix '-itis' means inflammation. Common examples include appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix), bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchial tubes), and arthritis (inflammation of the joints). This is one of the most frequently encountered suffixes in medical documentation.

Question 5

What does the root word 'cardi-' or 'cardio-' refer to?

Accepted Answer

Heart

Answer

The root 'cardi-' or 'cardio-' refers to the heart. Cardiology is the study and treatment of heart conditions, a cardiologist is a heart specialist, and cardiovascular refers to the heart and blood vessels. This is one of the most common root words in medical terminology.

CHAA - Certified Healthcare Access Associate Practice Test

CHAA - Certified Healthcare Access Associate Practice Test

CHAA Medical Terminology for Patient Access