A part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research. NIH scientists investigate ways to prevent disease as well as the causes, treatments, and cures for common and rare diseases.
A health maintenance organization (HMO) that contracts with more than one independent physician group to provide health services. The providers may see patients who are not members of the HMO. (Also see group-model HMO and staff-model HMO.)
28 occurrences that the National Quality Forum has identified as events that should never happen in a hospital and can be prevented. These events include surgical events, product or device events, and criminal events. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services...
After the clinical phase of trials, a manufacturer files an NDA with the Food & Drug Administration for approval. This application can be approved or rejected, or the FDA can request further study.
A registered nurse with advanced academic and clinical experience who diagnoses and manages most common and many chronic illnesses, either independently or as part of a health care team. A nurse practitioner provides some care previously offered only by physicians and...