Health Care Terminology

1. Health Care Terminology The Creation of medical terms

2. Origin of health care terminology • Scientist turned to Greeks and Roman physicians such as Hippocrates and borrowed terms. • Hippocrates was the first physician to use the words: Asthma, diarrhea, and epilepsy. • Hippocrates is known as the________________.

3. Root Word • The root word is the main part of the word. This is the subject of the word you are going to build. Root Word “Cardio”

4. Prefix • The prefix is a word element added to the beginning of a word root. • The prefix is added to the root word to change the meaning or make it more specific. • The prefix “peri” means around. Prefix “Peri”

5. Suffix • The suffix is an element added to the end of the word root. It changes or adds to the meaning of the root. • The suffix “itis” means inflammation. Suffix “itis”

6. Putting it all together Prefix “Peri” Around Suffix “itis” Inflammation Root word “Cardio” Heart “Inflammation around the heart”

7. Combining word elements • The combing vowel makes it possible to combine several word roots. • It also makes the word easier to pronounce. • When all the word elements are combined the word Pericarditis • Peri/card/itis, it means Inflammation around the heart

8. Combining word elements • Combing vowel is usually an o, for example, oste means “bone”, and the o is the combing vowel • The o can be added to join a word root with another word root or a suffix • Sometimes an I, y, or u is used. • Combing vowels make it easier to pronounce the term. • For example, osteomyelitis is easier to pronounce than ostemyelitis.

9. Combining word elements • When a suffix begins with one of the vowels (a,e,I,o,u), the o on the root word is not used. • Since oste/o ends in o and the suffix –itis begins with a vowel, the o is dropped. • The word is osteitis, which means “inflammation of the bone.

10. Combining word elements • The combining vowel is placed between root words, for example osteoporosis (oste/o/por/osis). • Pronounce the word with the combining vowel, and you can tell that it is easier to say than osteporosis. • After you learn the roots, prefixes, and suffixes, you can combine many word parts to form medical terminology.

11. Practice Scenario • Suppose you are not feeling well and find yourself sitting in a doctor's office. After examining you, the doctor writes something in your file and leaves the room. • You take a peek in your file and find that they wrote “hematuria " as your diagnosis. What is wrong with you? • Hemat means _____ and uria means ______.

12. Aden/o/pathy Hepat/o/rrhagia Poly/arthr/itis Hyster/ectomy Hyster/o/salping/ectomy Oste/o/por/osis Application

13. Transcribing Review Mr. Locklear came to the ER DOA. The ambulance workers also brought in his wife who was having chest pain. The M.D. thought she was having a MI. The RN drew a CBC, Na, and Bun. She was put on BR. They took her B/P and it was 170/100. The PA decided to send her to the CCU. She was NPO this pm. Prior to being adm the LPN started an IV in her lf arm. The NA also put in an ng tube. There was not room in CCU or ICU so she had to be adm to med surg.

14. References • NCDPI • Health Careers Science Exploration Textbook