Introduction to Allied Health : Introduction
to Allied Health
Lesson 1 Overview
Mastery of professional
standards and guidelines is
essential to the healthcare
field. This lesson will help
you become familiar with the
structure of healthcare,
insurance, agencies, and the
roles of workers. Healthcare
is a service industry, so effective communication and teamwork are
important skills that will also be covered.
1.1 Describe the United States healthcare system and
settings
The Healthcare System
READING ASSIGNMENT
The Healthcare System (lessons.pennfoster.edu/savi/427171_1/story_ht
ml5.html)
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Introduction to Allied Health (v1) : Lesson 1 : Page 1
1.2 Compare the professional roles of healthcare workers
within various community settings
Community, Ambulatory, and Home Health Professionals
READING ASSIGNMENT
Community, Ambulatory, and Home Health Professionals (lessons.pennf
oster.edu/savi/427171_2/story_html5.html)
1.3 Compare the professional roles of healthcare workers
within hospital practices
Role of Healthcare Professionals in Hospital Practice
READING ASSIGNMENT
Role of Healthcare Professionals in Hospital Practice (lessons.pennfoste
r.edu/savi/427171_3/story_html5.html)
1.4 Distinguish among government (public) and private
health insurance plans
Insurance Coverage and Reimbursement
READING ASSIGNMENT
Insurance Coverage and Reimbursement (lessons.pennfoster.edu/savi/
427171_4/story_html5.html)
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Introduction to Allied Health (v1) : Lesson 1 : Page 2
1.5 Explain the primary elements of the Affordable Care
Act
The Affordable Care Act
READING ASSIGNMENT
The Affordable Care Act (lessons.pennfoster.edu/savi/427171_5/story_h
tml5.html)
1.6 Describe the proper legal and ethical behaviors of a
healthcare worker
Law, Ethics, and Confidentiality
READING ASSIGNMENT
Law, Ethics, and Confidentiality (lessons.pennfoster.edu/savi/427171_6/
story_html5.html)
1.7 Identify the characteristics of professional behavior
and issues related to cultural differences
Professionalism and Cultural Sensitivity
READING ASSIGNMENT
Professionalism and Cultural Sensitivity (lessons.pennfoster.edu/savi/42
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7171_7/story_html5.html)
1.8 Identify communication methods within the healthcare
field and teamwork strategies
Communication and Teamwork
READING ASSIGNMENT
Communication and Teamwork (lessons.pennfoster.edu/savi/427171_8/
story_html5.html)
Lesson 1 Review
Self-Check
1. The purpose of the healthcare system is to
a. make money.
b. refer patients to other facilities.
c. perform tests on patients.
d. improve health for populations seeking care.
2. Which type of hospital is considered to be charity based?
a. Hospice
b. Nonprofit
c. Governmental agency
d. Proprietary
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3. You're an occupational therapy aide. What's your responsibility in
caring for the patient?
a. Administering medication
b. Taking blood pressure
c. Assisting the patient to be able to dress and bathe
d. Taking blood samples
4. The role of hospice, or palliative, care in healthcare includes providing
a. supportive treatment, pain relief, and comfort.
b. physical and occupational therapy.
c. treatment to restore patient to optimal health.
d. a cure for patients.
5. What part of the Medicare plan will you need to fill a prescription?
a. Part B
b. Part D
c. Part C
d. Part A
6. Which of the following can be covered by Medicare Part B?
a. Skilled rehabilitation
b. Nursing care
c. Durable medical equipment (DME)
d. Hospital stays
7. At what level is Medicaid managed?
a. Each individual hospital
b. State
c. City
d. Federal
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8. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), which was passed and signed into
law in 2010, has the goal of
a. increasing access to healthcare to all.
b. decreasing revenue to hospitals and doctors.
c. increasing healthcare costs.
d. denying healthcare coverage to veterans.
9. The ACA seeks to improve the quality of patient care and lowering
costs through
a. increasing communication between healthcare workers by making
extra copies of patient records.
b. encouraging healthcare providers to join Accountable Care
Organizations (ACOs).
c. requiring healthcare providers to see more patients.
d. increasing paperwork for seniors.
10. What is one example of how the ACA will increase access to
healthcare?
a. Matching the same coverage as Canada
b. Using the Health Insurance Marketplace
c. Allowing less choice of healthcare insurance
d. Denying insurance to people through a Preexisting Condition
Insurance Plan (PCIP)
11. The ACA will lower healthcare costs by
a. decreasing the cost to provide healthcare services.
b. eliminating Medicare for private insurance.
c. decreasing the number of people covered by Medicaid.
d. bundling insurance payments.
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12. Which of the following statements is true about the law?
a. It's a rule of action or conduct bounded by a controlling authority.
b. It relates to research in the field of healthcare.
c. The purpose of having laws is to protect the government.
d. It applies differently to each individual.
13. The purpose of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act (HIPAA) is to
a. make nursing notes more portable for hospital tracking and
insurance purposes.
b. protect and enhance the rights of patients.
c. allow healthcare workers to disclose private patient information.
d. gauge the transferability of the hospital's case mix.
14. Amy is a healthcare worker who has been treating Jane, her patient,
for two weeks. Jane wants to be friends on Facebook with Amy. How
should Amy respond?
a. Thanks, Jane, but hospital rules prohibit me from adding you as a
friend on Facebook.
b. Good idea, Jane. I'll request to be your friend once you're
discharged.
c. Sorry, Jane, but I don't have Facebook. You can follow me on
Twitter though.
d. No problem, Jane. I'll request to be your friend during my lunch
break.
15. You recently started working with Dr. Cheng. You noticed that she
loves telling stories about Chinese culture. This is an example of
a. judging another person's culture.
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b. cultural assessment.
c. being polite.
d. understanding characteristics of others' cultures.
16. At lunch time, you hear a Jamaican band playing in the cafeteria.
You've never heard this style of music before, so you sit and listen. Your
appreciation of the new music is called
a. cultural awareness.
b. cross-cultural sensitivity.
c. cultural competence.
d. attitude.
17. A patient comes to the physician’s office. You notice the patient's
attire and the fact that she's wearing a bindi (a forehead decoration),
which you recognize as being outward indicators of her Hindu faith. This
is an example of
a. cross-cultural sensitivity.
b. cultural competence.
c. cultural awareness.
d. attitude.
18. Your friend Maria shared that her grandmother isn't going to the
doctor even though she has had a cough for a very long time. When you
ask why, Maria explains that her grandmother doesn't have insurance.
You can therefore infer that Maria's grandmother lacks
a. cross-cultural sensitivity.
b. cultural competence.
c. access to care.
d. cultural awareness.
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19. A professional characteristic of a healthcare manager is the ability to
a. carry out doctor's orders.
b. perform lab tests and x-rays.
c. be a clear intermediary between upper management and
employees.
d. work alone with computers.
20. A home health aide is responsible for
a. resolving clients' family disputes
b. assisting clients' with grooming
c. running errands for clients and their family members
d. prescribing clients' treatments
21. Mike is a health information manager. Which of the following
responsibilities is within his scope of practice?
a. Analyzing a patient's diagnosis
b. Scheduling patient appointments
c. Processing medical reimbursement
d. Prescribing medication under a physician's guidance
22. Doctor Patel has asked you to call the person that handles the
electronic medical records for the entire hospital. Who would you call?
a. Health Information Manager
b. Transcriptionist
c. Medical Assistant
d. Head Nurse
23. For which of the following tasks is a medical biller and coder
responsible?
a. Creates the required document for reimbursement
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b. Fills prescriptions
c. Helps patients with activities of daily living (ADLs)
d. Works with the head nurse
24. Jessica received a bill from her insurance provider. She needs to
speak to someone in her doctor’s office who will help her get the right
CPT code for her services rendered. Whom should she ask for?
a. Medical Biller and Coder
b. Transcriptionist
c. Medical Assistant
d. Head Nurse
25. One of the duties of an occupational therapy aide is
a. prescribing pain medications.
b. performing surgeries to treat injuries.
c. assigning the correct codes for reimbursement.
d. range of motion exercises.
26. To become certified, which certification exam would a pharmacy
technician take?
a. RHPT
b. PTCE
c. PTQR
d. NCLEX-PT
27. There is a direct correlation between patient satisfaction and
a. positive collaboration between healthcare professionals.
b. optimized physician reimbursement
c. effective electronic data transfer.
d. consistent health record maintenance.
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28. Joseph, a healthcare worker, needs to explain a lab testing
procedure to Agnes, a patient in the Elder Rehabilitation program. What
communication strategy should Joseph use?
a. Texting
b. Email
c. Telephone
d. Face-to-face
Self-Check Answer Key
1. improve health for populations seeking care.
Explanation: The purpose of the healthcare system is to improve
health for populations seeking care.
Reference: Section 1.1
2. Nonprofit
Explanation: A nonprofit hospital is considered to be charity based.
Reference: Section 1.1
3. Assisting the patient to be able to dress and bathe
Explanation: You are responsible for assisting the patient to be able
to dress and bathe.
Reference: Section 1.1
4. supportive treatment, pain relief, and comfort.
Explanation: The role of hospice, or palliative, care in healthcare
includes providing supportive treatment, pain relief, and comfort.
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Reference: Section 1.1
5. Part D
Explanation: You will need Part D in order to fill a prescription.
Reference: Section 1.4
6. Durable medical equipment (DME)
Explanation: Durable medical equipment (DME) is covered by
Medicare Part B.
Reference: Section 1.4
7. State
Explanation: Medicaid is managed at the state level.
Reference: Section 1.4
8. increasing access to healthcare to all.
Explanation: The Affordable Care Act has the goal of increasing
access to healthcare for all.
Reference: Section 1.5
9. encouraging healthcare providers to join Accountable Care
Organizations (ACOs).
Explanation: The ACA seeks to improve the quality of patient care
and lowering costs through encouraging healthcare providers to
join Accountable Care Organizations.
Reference: Section 1.5
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10. Using the Health Insurance Marketplace
Explanation: Using the Health Insurance Marketplace is an
example of how the ACA will increase access to healthcare.
Reference: Section 1.5
11. bundling insurance payments.
Explanation: The ACA will lower healthcare costs by bundling
insurance payments.
Reference: Section 1.5
12. It's a rule of action or conduct bounded by a controlling authority.
Explanation: Law is a rule of action or conduct bounded by a
controlling authority.
Reference: Section 1.6
13. protect and enhance the rights of patients.
Explanation: The purpose of the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA) is to protect and enhance the rights of
patients.
Reference: Section 1.6
14. Thanks, Jane, but hospital rules prohibit me from adding you as a
friend on Facebook.
Explanation: Amy should respond with, Thanks, Jane, but hospital
rules prohibit me from adding you as a friend on Facebook.
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Reference: Section 1.7
15. understanding characteristics of others' cultures.
Explanation: This is an example of understanding characteristics of
others' cultures.
Reference: Section 1.7
16. cultural awareness.
Explanation: Your appreciation of the new music is called cultural
awareness.
Reference: Section 1.7
17. cultural awareness.
Explanation: This is an example of cultural awareness.
Reference: Section 1.7
18. access to care.
Explanation: You can therefore infer that Maria's grandmother lacks
access to care.
Reference: Section 1.7
19. be a clear intermediary between upper management and
employees.
Explanation: A professional characteristic of a healthcare manager
is the ability to be a clear intermediary between upper management
and employees.
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Reference: Section 1.2
20. assisting clients' with grooming
Explanation: A home health aide is responsible for assisting clients'
with grooming.
Reference: Section 1.2
21. Analyzing a patient's diagnosis
Explanation: Mike is responsible for analyzing a patient’s diagnosis.
Reference: Section 1.3
22. Health Information Manager
Explanation: You would call the health information manager.
Reference: Section 1.3
23. Creates the required document for reimbursement
Explanation: A medical biller and coder is responsible for creating
the required document for reimbursement.
Reference: Section 1.3
24. Medical Biller and Coder
Explanation: Jessica should ask for the medical biller and coder.
Reference: Section 1.3
25. range of motion exercises.
Explanation: One of the duties of an occupational therapy aide is
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range of motion exercises.
Reference: Section 1.3
26. PTCE
Explanation: To become certified a pharmacy technician should
take the PTCE exam.
Reference: Section 1.3
27. positive collaboration between healthcare professionals.
Explanation: There is a direct correlation between patient
satisfaction and positive collaboration between healthcare
professionals.
Reference: Section 1.8
28. Face-to-face
Explanation: Joseph should use the face-to-face communication
strategy.
Reference: Section 1.8
Flash Cards
1. Term: Healthcare System
Definition: A group of people, agencies, and/or institutions that provide
healthcare services to individuals in a variety of settings
2. Term: Healthcare Professionals
Definition: The individuals who wish to care for the people seeking to
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improve their health status
3. Term: Ambulatory Care Centers
Definition: Centers that provide healthcare consultation, treatment, and
mediation using advanced medical technology; also known
as community centers
4. Term: Acute Care Hospitals
Definition: Institutions that provide care for individuals who have a
disease that comes on quickly or that lasts for a short period
5. Term: Skilled Nursing Facilities
Definition: Care for patients who require the skills of licensed personnel
such as a physical therapist or an occupational therapy aide
6. Term: Assisted Living Facilities
Definition: Care that bridges the gap between home care and nursing
homes by providing a homelike environment
7. Term: Hospice Care
Definition: Care focused on the physical and emotional needs of
patients who have terminal illnesses that will usually result in death
within six months or less
8. Term: Home Care
Definition: Supportive care provided in the patient's home
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9. Term: Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)
Definition: A health maintenance organization (HMO) is a form of
private insurance that provides or arranges managed care for health
insurances, self-funded healthcare benefit plans, individuals, and other
entities in the United States
10. Term: Health Insurance
Definition: Provides patients with a means to pay the costs associated
with medical care and services; also called health benefits or health
coverage
11. Term: Deductible
Definition: The minimum amount that a person must pay out of his or
her own pocket before a health insurer will pay any expenses to the
healthcare provider
12. Term: Copayment
Definition: The predetermined amount defined by the health insurer
that must be paid each time a health service is accessed; also called a
copay
13. Term: Coinsurance
Definition: Splitting the cost between individuals and their insurance
carrier
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14. Term: Medicare
Definition: The federal insurance program for people who are 65 or
older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with endstage renal disease (ESRD)
15. Term: Medicaid
Definition: Largest source of funding for health insurance for low
income families in the United States
16. Term: TRICARE
Definition: A type of health insurance dedicated to honoring those who
have served, or are currently serving, in the military
17. Term: Affordable Care Act (ACA)
Definition: Two separate pieces of legislation that expand Medicaid
coverage to include millions of low-income Americans and make
numerous changes to both Medicaid and CHIP
18. Term: Cap
Definition: To create a maximum on
19. Term: Protocols
Definition: A set of rules that explain how a task or procedure should be
completed
20. Term: Ethics
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Definition: The principles and standards that govern behavior and
include your moral values
21. Term: Bioethics
Definition: The ethical implications related to research in the field of
healthcare
22. Term: Code of Ethics
Definition: A set of principles that guide an individual's practice in
healthcare
23. Term: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Definition: A law passed in 1996 to protect patient information
24. Term: Scope of Practice
Definition: The procedures, actions, and processes that are permitted
for the licensed individual
25. Term: Licensure
Definition: The process by which a federal, state, or local governmental
agency grants an individual permission to practice in a particular
occupation or profession
26. Term: Certification
Definition: The process by which private organizations recognize
individuals for meeting certain criteria established by the organization
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27. Term: Healthcare Managers
Definition: Hold both administrative and leadership roles to oversee
healthcare agencies
28. Term: Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Definition: Bathing, dressing, combing hair, and getting dressed
29. Term: Communication
Definition: An exchange of thoughts, ideas, information, and messages
30. Term: Therapeutic Communication
Definition: Occurs between a healthcare worker and a patient
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