Nitin Chhoda shares how to become familiar with terminology, tests, treatments and procedure.

medical termsBecoming fluent in medical terms becomes easier with practice, but to many it may seem as if they’re speaking a foreign language at first.

The prefixes, suffixes and root words aren’t part of the ordinary vocabulary for most people and medical jargon is a specialized language.

Along with medical terms, individuals working in a medical setting will also need to be cognizant of the terminology for tests, treatments and procedures.

Practice and Memorization Makes Learning Medical Terms Easier

Anyone in the medical profession must learn the medical terms and students of the healing arts have become proficient at developing strategies to help them memorize medical terminology. Committing small groups of prefixes and suffixes at a time to memory is only the beginning.

Begin seeking prefixes, suffixes and root word in literature, advertisements, magazines and even online. Associate suffixes and prefixes of medical terms with their meanings, dissect them into their component elements and try to determine the ultimate meaning. The technique is an easy and meaningful way to learn.

Medical Terminology for Treatments, Tests and Procedures

Along with a specialized vocabulary and understanding of anatomy, those in the medical profession will be required to have knowledge of medical tests, treatments and procedures. Tests are examinations that measure something about the patient, while a procedure is a course of action designed to achieve a desired result.

Treatments are also procedures, but a procedure relieves an illness or addresses an injury.

Suffixes and prefixes of medical terms will be used to describe treatments, tests and procedures, along with the specialties of those within the profession. For example, a physician may want a closer examination of a lump on a patient.

He/she will order a procedure (biopsy) to take a sample of the tissue, to be examined (test) by a doctor who identifies diseases of tissues (pathologist). If cancerous, chemotherapy (treatment) may be prescribed.

The importance of medical terminology becomes apparent when billing for services. There are hundreds of services that a clinician might be required to submit a reimbursement request for, from allergy tests to x-rays. The codes for various services must match the diagnosis, symptoms and results of the physical examination or the patient’s healthcare provider will deny the claim.

Medical terms, tests, procedures and treatments are all part of the medical billing learning process especially for those engaged in the medical profession, but there’s no need for individuals to panic or throw themselves into information overload.

medical terms and its definitionLearning a few prefixes, suffixes and root words at a time and practicing those skills by breaking down terms into their component parts will help train the brain.

Individuals will be surprised at how quickly medical terms become part of their vocabulary and how easy it is to understand and add new terms.