Terminology

Sometimes it feels like home health has a language of it's own! But rest assured, if you learn just a few abbreviations and concepts you'll be an expert in no time.  When in doubt, refer to the list below!

• ADL/BADL- Stands for Activities of Daily Living or Basic Activities of Daily Living; bathing, toileting, meal prep, grooming are all on this list.

• ALF- Assisted Living Facility. 

• APS- Adult Protective Services. This is called when a patient is being harmed or is a harm to themselves. 

• Auth- The number of approved visits and time period approved for private insurance patients. Anyone non-Medicare-- even Medicare Advantage!

• B&C- Board and Care.

• BHN - Behavioral Health Nurse

• Cert. period - Certification Period 60 day period from the start of care (the range of dates)

• CM- Case Manager.  Refers to the discipline opening the case and managing other follow-up disciplines (usually RN or PT).

• COTA- OT Assistant.

• DC- Discharge. Confirm it isn’t a DC OASIS (O/DC)!

• DCO- OASIS Discharge Paperwork.

• DME- Durable Medical Equipment, lasting supplies such as walkers, wheelchairs, commodes necessary for therapy services.

• DON- Director of Nursing

• DR - Discipline Request on LSA

• DX - Diagnosis

• EMR- Electronic Medical Record system, will refer to the system you are documenting your notes in (HCHB will be specified for Mission patients).

• EOE-End of Episode.  This may be the same as the end of the cert period.

• F&D- Frequency and duration, refers to your time with the patient but not activities.  A 2w4 F&D is two times per week for four weeks. A 1w1 is an Evaluation only. 

• HEP - Home Exercise Program

• H&P - History and Physical, usually includes the write-up from the hospitalist or PCP discussing the patient’s condition (s).

• HHA - Can also refer to Home Health Agency. Try to use context!

• HHA or CHHA - Home Health Aide, usually ordered by an OT and must be supervised. Lifespan does not staff HHAs but agencies should be able to. 

• HH- Home Health! Homebound patients will be here. 

• LUPA - Low Utilization Payment Adjustment, if less than 5 total visits are completed then the agency has a significant payment deduction

• LSA  - Lifespan Therapy Staffing App

• MD- Medical Doctor, not the same as the PCP. 

• MSW - Masters of social work, will obtain community resources for a family 

• NOMNOC- Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage. Completed on the 2nd to last visit or within 48 hours of discharge. Legally required to prevent claims against unethical discharges.

• NTUC - Not Taken Under Care, if the patient refuses home health before the SOC can begin- same as NON ADMIT

• NVDC- Non-visit DC (DC summary as visit was not completed)

• OASIS- Data collection event, refers to Outcome and Assessment Information Set. 

• Ortho- Orthopedic.  Can be used in the context of an Orthopedic surgeon or patient.

• OT - Occupational Therapy.

• OTA or COTA - Occupational Therapy Assistant

• PCP- Primary Care Physician, the MD that the patient sees for regular care and to coordinate all specialized care. 

• PEP - Partial Episode Payment, if you discharge a patient and then re-evaluate them shortly after, the agency has a significant payment deduction

• PLOF - Prior Level of Function, how the patient was doing before the event occurred (young car accident victims may have a high PLOF and be able to achieve more with less)

• POC- Plan of Care, refers to your time and activities with the patient.  The PT POC for a CVA pt. may include fall risk assessments for a 2w4 F&D. 

• PMH - Prior Medical History.  Requested in lieu of H&P for proper treatment of patient. 

• pt.- Stands for patient.  will always have a lowercase t at the very minimum to differentiate from PTs.

• PTA- PT Assistant.

• PT- Physical Therapy.

• RD- Registered Dietitian. Lifespan does not staff this discipline as of 2018. 

• ROC-Resumption of Care.

• SNF- Skilled Nursing Facility.  

• SOC- Start of Care. First visit in an episode.

• ST- Speech Therapy.

• TO- Therapy Order

• tx - Treatment

• VO- Verbal Orders

• WB - Weight Bearing.  NWB status means patient cannot bear weight and will have restrictions in therapy treatment plan.  

• WNL- “Within Normal Limits”, a measurement of some testing on documentation