CMA (AAMA) Certification Examination flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Suffix -itis

Suffix meaning inflammation; for example, appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix, and dermatitis is inflammation of the skin.

Anatomical position

Body standing erect, face forward, arms at sides, and palms facing forward; it is the standard reference for describing body locations and directions.

Sagittal plane

A vertical plane that divides the body into right and left portions; a midsagittal plane divides it into equal right and left halves.

Homeostasis

The body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes outside, regulating temperature, pH, fluids, and electrolytes through feedback mechanisms.

HIPAA

Federal law protecting protected health information (PHI); it limits disclosure, requires safeguards, and gives patients rights over their medical records.

Implied consent

Consent inferred from a patient's actions or circumstances, such as extending an arm for an injection, rather than from explicit verbal or written permission.

Chain of infection

Six linked elements: infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host; breaking any link helps prevent infection.

Metric conversions

1 kilogram equals 2.2 pounds; 1 inch equals 2.54 centimeters; 1 teaspoon equals 5 milliliters; 1 ounce equals 30 milliliters.

Emancipated minor

A person under 18 legally treated as an adult for consent purposes, often due to marriage, military service, or court order.

Medical record ownership

The healthcare facility owns the physical medical record, but the patient has a legal right to access and obtain copies of the information in it.

Respondeat superior

Legal doctrine meaning let the master answer; an employer may be held liable for the negligent acts of employees performed within the scope of employment.

SOAP format

A progress note structure: Subjective (patient's report), Objective (measurable findings), Assessment (diagnosis or impression), and Plan (treatment, tests, follow-up).

Copayment

A fixed dollar amount a patient pays at the time of service, separate from deductible and coinsurance, as specified by the insurance plan.

Coinsurance

The percentage of allowed charges a patient pays after the deductible is met; for example, 20% coinsurance means the plan pays 80%.

Deductible

The amount a patient must pay out of pocket each year before an insurance plan begins paying for covered services.

CMS-1500 form

The standard paper claim form used by healthcare providers to bill Medicare and many commercial insurers for professional services.

ICD-10-CM

Coding system used to report diagnoses, symptoms, and reasons for visits on insurance claims and in medical records.

CPT codes

Five-character numeric codes maintained by the AMA that describe medical procedures and services for billing purposes.

Terminal-digit filing

A numeric filing method in which files are arranged by the last two or three digits of a number, read from right to left.

Accounts receivable

Money owed to the practice for services already provided; tracked on an aging report by 30, 60, 90, and 120 days.

Petty cash fund

A small cash reserve kept in the office for minor expenses; each disbursement requires a receipt and is recorded to keep the fund balanced.

Wave scheduling

An appointment method that books several patients at the beginning of each hour, expecting them to be seen in the order they arrive.

Normal adult blood pressure

A systolic pressure below 120 mm Hg and diastolic below 80 mm Hg; hypertension is generally defined as 130/80 mm Hg or higher.

Ventrogluteal site

A safe intramuscular injection site in the upper outer hip, preferred for adults because it avoids major nerves and blood vessels.

Deltoid site

An intramuscular injection site on the upper arm, used for small volumes such as vaccines; it is not used for large volumes.

Intradermal injection

Injection into the dermis, usually on the inner forearm, using a small-gauge needle at a shallow angle; used for allergy and TB skin tests.

Medical asepsis

Practices that reduce the number and spread of microorganisms, such as handwashing, cleaning surfaces, and wearing gloves; also called clean technique.

Surgical asepsis

Practices that eliminate all microorganisms from an area or object, including sterile gloves, sterile drapes, and a sterile field; also called sterile technique.

Order of draw

The sequence for collecting blood tubes: blood cultures first, then citrate (blue), serum (red/gold), heparin (green), EDTA (lavender), and oxalate (gray).

P wave

On an electrocardiogram, the wave representing atrial depolarization; it normally precedes each QRS complex on the tracing.

QRS complex

On an electrocardiogram, the wave representing ventricular depolarization; it is normally narrow and followed by a T wave.

Specific gravity

A urinalysis measure of urine concentration compared with water; normal range is about 1.005 to 1.030, with higher values indicating concentrated urine.