We hope you have benefited from the information we’ve presented in this “Know Where to Go” blog. Here’s are some definitions in case you have any questions about terms we use.
Glossary of Terms
All Payer Claims Database: Administered by the Center for Improving Value in Health Care. A database for consumers to access claims data from government health plans (Medicare and Medicaid) and commercial health plans (large group, small group, and individual).[1]
American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine (AAUCM): A collective of skilled medical providers including physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners who practice Urgent Care Medicine. Since 1997 AAUCM has contributed to professional growth, scientific and medical research, and medical education to improve the quality of urgent care services.[2]
Aurora Health Access (AHA): A growing coalition of Aurora residents, healthcare providers, community agencies, and business leaders. Since 2010 AHA has been active in encouraging and building collaboration among community stakeholders to ensure access to care and expanding opportunities for health in Aurora.[3]
Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+): “A public low-cost health insurance for certain children and pregnant women. It is for people who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to pay for private health insurance.”[4]
Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF): Oversees and operates Colorado Medicaid, Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), and other public health care programs in the state of Colorado. They strive to improve access to health care while using funding responsibly and sustainably.
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE): Broadly serves the people of Colorado by providing, “high-quality, cost-effective public health and environmental protection services that promote healthy people and healthy places” (CHPHE, 2015, p.3). While focusing on essential programs and services, CDPHE continues to respond to emergent issues in order to comprehensively promote the health and safety of Coloradans.[5]
Department of Regulatory Affairs (DORA): Colorado’s state regulatory department.[6]
Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA):A federal law that requires emergency departments to stabilize anyone coming to the facility for treatment regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.23
Free-standing emergency rooms/departments (FSER/FSED): According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, “A free-standing emergency department (FSED) is a facility that received individuals for emergency care and is structurally separate and distinct from a hospital.”[7]
CDPHE Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division (HFEMSD): “Responsible for monitoring health care facilities and assuring that patients and residents receive quality care from health facilities and programs which are licensed and/or certified by the state.”[8]
Urgent Care Association of America (UCAOA): A 501(c)(3) founded in November 2014. UCAOA is a group of urgent care business and clinical professionals throughout the United States. They work to promote urgent care as an essential part of the health care system. Members support this goal through education, advocacy, community awareness and benchmarking.[9]
Urgent Care Medicine (UCM)/ Urgent Care Center: AAUCM defines urgent care medicine as, “the provision of immediate medical service (no appointment necessary) offering outpatient care for the treatment of acute and chronic illness and injury.” [10]
[1] Center for Improving Value in Health Care (CIVHC). (n.d.). Colorado’s All Payer Claims Database. Retrieved from http://www.civhc.org/All-Payer-Claims-Database.aspx/ Accessed February 21, 2016.
[2] American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine (AAUCM). (2013). Brochure. Retrieved from http://aaucm.org/Resources/370/FileRepository/AAUCM%20Brochure%202013%20(web).pdf Accessed February 1, 2016.
[3] Aurora Health Access. (n.d.) About us. Retrieved from http://www.aurorahealthaccess.org/about-us/Accessed February 1, 2016.
[4] Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing. (2016). CHP+. Retrieved from https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/hcpf/child-health-plan-plus Accessed February 1, 2016.
[5] Wolk, L. (ca. 2015). Department implementation plan. Retrieved from https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/CDPHE2015-2016StrategicPlan-0915.pdf Accessed February 1, 2016.
[6] Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dora Accessed February 21, 2016.
[7] American College of Emergency Physicians. (2013). Freestanding emergency departments, and information paper. Retrieved from https://www.acep.org/uploadedFiles/ACEP/Practice_Resources/issues_by_category/administration/Freestanding%20Emergency%20Departments%200713.pdf. Accessed February 1, 2016.
[8] Introduction to public health services in Colorado. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.whatifcolorado.com/scorm/coursefiles/ph101/page1129.html.
[9] Urgent Care Association of America. (n.d.). About Urgent Care Association of America (UCAOA). Retrieved from http://www.ucaoa.org/?aboutUCAOA Accessed February 1, 2016.
[10] American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine. (2016). About the AAUCM. Retrieved from http://aaucm.org/about/default.aspx Accessed February 1, 2016.
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