Instituto de Enseanza Superior

en Lenguas Vivas
Juan Ramn Fernndez
Introduccin a la Interpretacin

Carolina Badaracco
1998

HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT AND HEALTH INSURANCE

Glosario

1. accident and emergency department (A&E): department of a hospital which deals with
accidents and emergency cases
emergencia
2.

accident ward: ward for urgent accident victims. Hospital emergency rooms are set up
for treating injuries and illnesses that require prompt action. Lifesaving equipment is
always available there. In large hospitals, emergency rooms have doctors in many
branches of medicine on call. Emergency patients with minor ailments are treated and
released, but those with more serious problems might be admitted into the hospital. Many
hospitals maintain outpatient units where patients can seek treatment for chronic illnesses
without hospital confinement. The larger hospitals tend to have specialty clinics for a
variety of problems, such as skin diseases, nerve disorders, or orthopedic maladies
emergencia/sala de urgencias

3. acute bed: hospital bed reserved for acute cases

cama de agudos
4. acute care hospital: hospital where patients normally stay for two or three days, or no
more than seven to ten days. They are admitted to this type of hospital in order to quickly
put an end to their suffering.
hospital de corta estada/agudos

5. administrator: person who runs a hospital, district health authority, etc

administrador
6. admission (to the hospital): official registering of a patient in a hospital
ingreso/internacin
7. aftercare: care of a person who has had an operation; care of a mother who has just given
birth
asistencia posoperatoria/cuidado de postratamiento/tratamiento poshospitalario
8. ambulanceman: man who drives or assists in an ambulance
ambulanciero/conductor/enfermero de ambulancia
9. ancillary staff: staff in a hospital who are not administrators, doctors or nurses (such as
cleaners, porters, kitchen staff, etc)
personal auxiliar
10. antenatal clinic: clinic where expectant mothers are taught how to look after babies, do
exercises and have medical checkups
centro de consulta mdica para mujeres embarazadas
11. antenatal diagnosis: medical examination of a pregnant woman to see if the fetus is
developing normally
examen prenatal
12. asylum: an institution for the care of the mentally ill, or of the aged, the poor, etc; largely
replaced by mental or psychiatric hospital, nursing home, etc
psiquitrico / asilo
13. attend (vb.) (to attend a patient): to look after a patient
atender
14. attending physician: doctor who is looking after a certain patient
mdico de turno / cabecera
15. average length of stay (ALOS): an average of the maximum and minimum stay
estada promedio de internacin
16. baby clinic: clinic which deals with babies
sala de neonatologa (perodo perinatal) / sala de pediatra (despus del perodo
perinatal)
17. bank: place where blood or organs from donors can be stored until needed. The hospital's
blood bank collects, stores, and dispenses blood
banco (de sangre/rganos)

18. bed days: number of days a patient stays in hospital or clinic

das de internacin
19. bed occupancy rate: number of beds occupied in a hospital shown as a percentage of all
the beds in a hospital
ndice de ocupacin de camas
20. bedpan: dish into which a patient can urinate or defecate without getting out of bed
chata
21. bedridden patient: patient who cannot get out of bed
paciente postrado en cama
22. bedside manner: way in which a doctor behaves towards a patient, specially a patient
who is in bed
manera de tratar a los pacientes
23. benefit (Br.): general money provided by the government to people who need it,
especially to those who are sick or unemployed
prestacin/beneficio (de seguro social)
24. Blue Cross or Blue Shield: (US) systems of private medical insurance
sistema de seguro mdico
25. board of directors: group of people (usually consultants, heads of nursing staff,
administrators) chosen to run a hospital trust
junta directiva/directorio/consejo de administracin
26. boiler room: room where bed clothes are boiled
sala de calderas
27. burns unit: special department in a hospital which deals with burns
servicio/sector de quemados
28. capitation: a method of reimbursement whereby a health care provider is reimbursed a
fixed amount each month for each insured life, regardless of the amount of health care
services consumed by the insured
capitacin
29. card index or catalogue: series of cards with information written on them, kept in special
order so that information can be found easily
fichero
30. cardiac patient: patient suffering from heart disorder
enfermo del corazn

31. cardiac surgery: surgery to the heart

ciruga cardiocascular
32. card-index file: information kept on filing cards
archivos
33. cardiology department: department for heart disease (specialized medical department;
only in large hospitals)
servicio/sector de cardiologa
34. care plan: plan drawn up by the nursing staff for the treatment of an individual patient
plan de cuidados/de atencin/prepaga
35. care: attention or general treatment of a patient
asistencia
36. caregiver: see carer
37. carer: someone who looks after a sick person
trabajador de la salud
38. case history: details of what has happened to a patient undergoing treatment
historia clnica
39. case management: management that focuses on meeting the complex health care
requirements of a patient by improving the communication among all professionals taking
care of him or her
manejo de caso
40. case study: a detailed study of a person or group, especially in order to learn their social
development and relationship with other people in society
estudio de/por casos
41. case: i) single occurrence of a disease; ii) person who has a disease or who is undergoing
treatment
caso
42. casualty ward: see accident ward
43. catchment area: area around a hospital which is served by a hospital
zona de captacin/influencia / area de cobertura
44. charge nurse: nurse who is in charge of a group of patients, a ward or a department in a
hospital
enfermera jefa

45. chief medical officer: government official responsible for all aspects of public health
oficial mdico principal
46. childrens home: house where children with no parents are looked after
asilo de nios
47. clinic receptionist: employee works who with staff in areas such as patient flow,
appointment setting, checking insurance, immunization records, data collection, and state
reporting requirements
recepcionista
48. clinic: a) small hospital or department in a large hospital which deals only with walking
patients or which specializes in the treatment of certain conditions; b) group of students
under a doctor or surgeon who examine patients and discuss their treatment
consultorio/centro de consultas / clnica (privada)
49. clinical medicine: treatment of patients in a hospital ward or in the doctors surgery (as
opposed to the operating theater or laboratory)
medicina clnica
50. clinical nurse specialist: nurse who specializes in a particular branch of clinical care
enfermera especializada en clnica
51. clinical pathology: study of disease as applied to treatment of patients
patologa clnica
52. clinical trial: trial carried out in a medical laboratory on a patient or on tissue from a
patient
ensayo clnico
53. clinical: a) i) referring to a clinic; ii) referring to a physical examination of patients by
doctors (as opposed to surgical operation or a laboratory test or experiment); b) referring to
instruction given to students at the bedside of patients as opposed to class instruction with
no patient present
clnico
54. clinician: doctor, usually not a surgeon, who has considerable experience in treating
patients
clnico
55. community medicine: study of medical practice which examines groups of people and the
health of the community, including housing, pollution and other environmental factors
medicina comunitaria
56. community outreach worker: somebody who coordinates social service assessments,
referrals, and follow-up
trabajador de alcance comunitario

57. Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN): psychiatric nurse who works in a district, visiting
various patients in the area
enfermera psiquitrica comunitaria
58. community services: nursing services which are available to the community
servicios comunitarios / atencin comunitaria
59. continuum quality improvement (CQI): a process that assumes that every process can
be improved and that the result of the improvement will be both better efficiency and
higher quality
mejoramiento continuo de la calidad
60. convalescent home: type of hospital where patients can recover from illness or surgery
clnica de reposo/casa de convalecencia
61. coronary care unit (CCU): section of a hospital reserved to treat patients suffering from
heart attacks
unidad coronaria
62. corrective therapy department: hospitals usually have allied health-care specialists
called therapists. A physical therapist may help improve a patient's injured or diseased
body parts by means of massage and whirlpool baths or by teaching the patient how to do
special exercises. An occupational therapist helps train or retrain a disabled person for
work. A respiratory therapist helps patients with breathing problems. A recreational
therapist designs and supervises interesting activities to help relieve the boredom of long
hospital stays
departamento de terapia correctiva / rehabilitatoria / rehabilitativa
63. cottage hospital: small local hospital set in pleasant gardens in the country
hospital de pabellones
64. day case: patient who is in hospital for a treatment for a day (i.e. one who does not stay
overnight)
caso de solucin en el da / paciente ambulatorio
65. day hospital: a hospital where patients are treated during the day and go home in the
evenings
hospital de da
66. day nursery: place where small children can be looked after during the day time, while
their parents are at work
casa-cuna/hogar diurno/guardera diurna/guardera infantil
67. day patient: see day case

68. day recovery ward: ward where day patients who have had minor operations can recover
before going home
sala de recuperacin
69. day surgery: surgical operation which does not require the patient to stay overnight in
hospital
ciruga menor
70. deductible: the amount the beneficiary must pay before the payer makes any payment to
the health care provider; usually stated in terms of an absolute dollar amount and can be
applied to each individual or to the entire family when family coverage is involved
franquicia
71. delivery room: a baby may be delivered in a special kind of operating room called a
delivery room or in a more homelike birthing room. The operating room delivery table
puts the woman in the best position for the health care professional to supervise the birth
process. Some hospitals permit others, such as the father, in the delivery room to comfort
the woman giving birth or to coach her through the birth process. In some hospitals nursemidwives instead of physicians care for women during uncomplicated pregnancies and
then, barring any problems, supervise the birth
sala de parto
72. demography: study of populations and environments or changes affecting populations
demografa
73. dermatology department: for skin diseases (specialized medical department; only in
large hospitals)
servicio/sector de dermatologa
74. diagnose (vb.): to identify a patients condition or illness by examining the patient and
noting symptoms
diagnosticar
75. diagnosis: act of diagnosing a patients condition or illness.
diagnstico
76. diagnosis-related groups (DRG): derived from over 495 diagnosis-related categories
derived from the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical
Modification codes to determine hospital reimbursement. Each DRG is assigned a cost
weight to reflect the average resource costs of treating patients in that group
grupos calificados por diagnstico
77. diagnostic test: test which helps a doctor diagnose an illness
pruebas para establecer el diagnstico

78. differential diagnosis: identification of one particular disease from other similar diseases
by comparing the range of symptoms of each
diagnstico diferencial
79. disability insurance: protects against loss of income resulting from sickness or accident.
Benefits are generally structured to pay a proportion of a person's actual earnings, usually
from 40 to 60 percent up to a maximum amount. Disability policies may be purchased
from insurance companies by groups or individuals. This type of protection is offered by
government agencies, private firms, and in union-administered plans
seguro por incapacidad
80. disaster plans: when a major disaster occurs, a hospital may have to treat many more
patients than it ordinarily would. Most hospitals have disaster plans ready for such
emergencies. A doctor called a triage officer quickly determines how seriously a victim is
hurt. The doctor then has the injured person moved to an appropriate area for treatment
according to a priority of need. The most seriously injured are attended first. In a major
disaster, many persons might require hospitalization. A hospital should therefore have a
plan ready to evacuate some of its patients if it is already full. Certain members of the
medical staff must decide which patients are well enough to go home or to be treated as
outpatients. Others might be moved to nursing homes or extended-care facilities
servicio de catstrofe
81. discharge: sending a patient away from hospital because the treatment has ended
alta
82. district nurse or home nurse: nurse who visits and treats patients in their homes
enfermera que tiene a su cuidado a los pacientes de un distrito / enfermera
extrahospitalaria / de atencin ambulatoria
83. dormitory: a building with many rooms that provides sleeping and living
accommodations for a number of people. Many sizeable hospitals include schools of
nursing that require dormitory accommodations for the students
residencia de estudiantes
84. drug representative: represents a laboratory and informs physicians on its products and,
when there are new products in the market from that laboratory, together with a physicians
who also work for that laboratory, organizes meetings to advertise the product. Drug
representatives visit physicians one or twice a month
agente de propaganda mdica (APM) / visitador mdico
85. emergency medical technician (EMT): trained paramedic who gives care to victims at
the scene of an accident or in an ambulance
paramdico de urgencias
86. emergency ward: hospital ward which deals with urgent cases (such as accident victims)
emergencia

87. Enrolled Nurse (EN): see (State) Enrolled Nurse (SEN)

88. Environmental Health Officer (EHO) or Public Health Inspector: official of a local
authority who examines the environment and tests for air pollution or bad sanitation or
noise pollution, etc
oficial de salud ambiental
89. escort nurse: nurse who goes with a patient to the operating theater and back to the ward
enfermera de piso (que lleva al enfermo hasta la sala de operaciones)
90. exploratory surgery: surgical operations in which the aim is to discover the cause of the
patients symptoms or the extent of the illness
ciruga exploradora
91. family doctor: general practitioner, especially one who looks after all the members of a
family
mdico de cabecera
92. family planning clinic: clinic which gives advice on contraception
clnicas de planificacin familiar
93. fee-for-service (FFS) system: a payment system in which a health care provider charges a
specific price for each identifiable and distinct unit of service or good sold in the course of
treating a specific patient
pago por acto mdico
94. file card: card with information written on it, used to classify information in correct order
ficha
95. first aid post or station: special place where injured people can be taken for immediate
attention
puesto de primeros auxilios
96. first aid: help given by an ordinary person to someone who is suddenly ill or hurt, given
until full scale medical treatment can be given
primeros auxilios
97. first aider: person who gives first aid to someone who is suddenly ill or injured
persona que presta primeros auxilios
98. forensic medicine: medical science concerned with finding solutions to crimes against
people (such as autopsies on murdered people or taking blood samples from clothes)
medicina legal / forense
99. fringe medicine: types of medicine which are not part of normal treatment taught in
medical school (such as homeopathy, acupuncture, etc.)
medicina alternativa

100. gatekeeper: usually primary care physicians who attend to the general health needs of
the population and are solely responsible for referring patients to specialty and
subspecialty physicians
filtro
101. general hospital: hospital which cares for all types of patients
centro hospitalario/hospital (no especializado)
102. general practitioner (GP): doctor who treats many patients in a district for all types
of illness, though not specializing in any one branch of medicine (the plural is GPs). A GP
generally has a MB (bachelor of Medicine) or ChB (bachelor of Surgery) degree. GPs train
in hospital as well in general practice, and often have specialist qualifications, such as in
obstetrics or child care
mdico clnico
103.

generalist: see general practitioner:

104. geriatric unit or ward or hospital: unit or ward or hospital which specializes in the
treatment of old people
hospital geritrico
105. geriatrician: doctor who specializes in the treatment or study of diseases of old people
geriatra/especialista en geriatra
106. group health insurance: is the most common form of protection. Group insurance
policies usually are provided through a person's place of employment; those without
insurance are frequently unemployed or outside the labor force. These individuals do not
necessarily have to pay for medical care. They may receive care without charge or at
reduced rates at government hospitals, or they may be eligible for the Medicaid program
seguro colectivo/de grupo
107. group practice: medical practice where several doctors or dentists share the same
office building and support services
consultorio atendido por un grupo de mdicos
108. group therapy: type of treatment where a group of people with the same disorder meet
together with a therapist to discuss their condition and try to help each other
terapia de grupo
109. health care specialist: professionals in charge of looking after peoples health,
including medical treatment and advice on how to stay healthy
profesionales de la salud
110. health care: general treatment of patients, especially using preventive measures to stop
a disease from occurring
cuidado de la salud

111. health center: public building in which a group of doctors practice, which contains a
childrens clinic, etc
centro de salud/dispensario
112. health education: teaching people (schoolchildren and adults) to do things to improve
their health, such as taking more exercise, stop smoking, etc
educacin en/para la salud
113. health educator: somebody who needs to be trained specifically in health education
and provides individual and group health education, as well as classroom education where
possible
educador especializado en salud
114. health insurance: insurance which pays the cost of treatment for illness, specially
when traveling abroad. Insurance designed to meet the costs of sickness and disability.
Health insurance pays for physicians, hospitals, and other providers of medical services.
By so doing it protects people from financial hardship caused by large medical bills
seguro mdico
115. Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): private doctors practice offering health
care to patients who pay a regular subscription: in return for a monthly premium, an HMO
agrees to provide all necessary medical servicesthe HMO is both insurer and provider.
The largest HMO in the U.S. is the Kaiser Permanent Medical Care Program. There are
basically two kinds of HMOs: the prepaid group practice and the individual-practice plan.
In this type, physicians are organized into a group practice at centralized facilities. The
individual-practice type of HMO is a loose network of physicians who maintain their own
practices. They choose to affiliate with an HMO on a full- or part-time basis. They are
usually paid by the HMO on a fee-for-service basis from the premiums paid by
subscribers. Affiliated hospitals have much the same relation with the HMO as the
physicians. Three fourths of HMOs are nonprofit organizations, but some are publicly held
corporations. Sponsoring organizations can be insurance companies, hospitals, or nearly
any type of large corporation
sistema de medicina prepaga
116. health service: organization in a district or country which is in charge of doctors and
hospitals, etc
servicio mdico
117. health tax: tax which will be used to help fund the health service
impuesto de salud
118. health visitor: registered nurse with qualifications in obstetrics, midwifery and
preventive medicine who visits babies and sick patients at home and advises on treatment
visitadora de salud

119. home help: person who does housework for an invalid or handicapped person
ayuda familiar / domiciliaria
120. hospice: hospital which cares for terminally ill patients
centro para pacientes terminales
121. hospital bed: i) special type of bed used in hospitals;
cama de hospital
ii) place in a hospital which can be occupied by a patient
cama
122. hospital management: organization or running of a hospital or clinic or health
authority, etc
gestin hospitalaria
123. hospital newsletter: a bulletin issued regularly to employees or members, containing
news of recent developments, upcoming meetings or events
boletn informativo
124. hospital nursery: after a baby is born it is placed in the hospital nursery, or it may stay
in the mother's room. If the baby is ill or has a very low birth weight, the protective
environment of an isolated and infection-free cubicle with controlled oxygen, heat, and
humidity is required until the baby's condition improves and the lungs have developed
properly. Critical illness in a newborn requires the specialized care of a newborn intensive
care unit
neonatologa
125. hospital orderly: person who does heavy work in a hospital, such as wheeling patients
into the operating theater, moving equipment about, etc
ordenanza/enfermero/camillero/asistente de hospital
126. hospital trust: self-governing hospital, a hospital which earns its revenue from
services provided to the District Health Authorities and family doctors
junta hospitalaria
127. hospital: institution with an organized medical and nursing staff, and with permanent
facilities, that provides a full range of medical services, including surgery, for persons
requiring intensive treatment or observation. It may also include facilities for childbirth
and infant management, as well as various outpatient clinics. The majority of hospitals in
the U.S. are short-stay, nonprofit institutions operated by community or religious groups.
Public general hospitals are operated by federal, state, and city governments, and a
growing number of the hospitals in the country are operated as profit-making institutions
by individuals or corporations
hospital/nosocomio

128. house officer: doctor who works in a hospital (as house surgeon or house physician)
during the final year of training before registration by the GMC
interno/residente de hospital
129. housekeeping department: responsible for keeping the hospital clean
servicio de limpieza
130. houseman: house surgeon or house physician (the US English is intern)
interno
131. indemnity insurance plans: plan that reimburses enrollees directly for their medical
expenses. This type of plans have not typically interfered with provider decisions except
when they involve fraud. Consumer decisions are influenced by co-payments and
deductibles, as well as maximum benefit clauses
sistema de reintegro
132. indemnity: compensation for damage, loss or injury suffered
reintegro
133. independent practice association (IPA): a method of organizing independent
physician practitioners in a way that allows them to operate collectively with regard to
business practices (e.g., managed care contracting, billing, practice management)
Asociacin de ejercicio independiente de la medicina
134. index card: card used to make card index
tarjeta ndice/ficha
135. infirmary: a place where people can go for medical treatment, especially in a school,
college or other institution
enfermera
136. inpatient: patient living in a hospital for treatment or observation
paciente hospitalizado
137. institution: hospital or clinic, especially a psychiatric hospital or a childrens home
institucin/instituto
138. Integrated Delivery System (IDS) or Networks (IDN): groups of institutional
providers and individual providers organized into a single health care delivery network.
This integration often comes from entities with diverse backgrounds and are carried out
with the purpose of making the total organization more efficient and providing more
leverage for negotiation within the marketplace
Sistema Integrado de Atencin
139. intensive care unit (ICU): special section of a hospital which supervises seriously ill
patients who need constant supervision. The most expensive rooms are intensive care
units, because they have a high ratio of doctors and nurses to patients and more elaborate

and, therefore, more costly equipment

unidad de cuidado intensivo/terapia intensiva
140. intensive care: continual supervision and treatment of a patient in a special section of
a hospital
cuidados intensivos/terapia intensiva
141. intern: medical school graduate who is working in a hospital while at the same time
continuing his studies (the GB English is houseman, house officer)
interno
142. internal medicine: treatment of diseases of the internal organs by specialists
medicina interna
143. International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): international organization which
provides mainly emergency medical help, but also relief to victims of earthquakes, floods,
etc, or to prisoners of war
Comit Internacional de la Cruz Roja
144. internist: specialist who treats diseases of the internal organs by non-surgical means
internista
145. intervention: treatment
intervencin
146. isolation hospital: hospital where patients suffering from dangerous infectious
diseases can be isolated
hospital de infecciosos
147. kitchen: i) room for the preparation and cooking of food;
cocina
ii) a staff that cooks and serves food
personal de cocina
148. lab: (informal) laboratory
laboratorio/gabinete
149. laboratory technician: person who does practical work in a laboratory and has
particular care of equipment
tcnico de laboratorio
150. laboratory techniques: methods or skills needed to perform experiments in a
laboratory
tcnicas de laboratotio

151. laboratory: special room(s) where scientists can do research or can test chemical
substances or can grow tissues in culture, etc
laboratorio/gabinete
152. laundry: a room with facilities for laundering
lavandera
153. license: official document which allows someone to do something (such as allowing a
doctor to practice, a pharmacist to make and sell drugs or, in the US, allowing a nurse to
practice)
licencia/matrcula
154. Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN): a person who does almost the same work as a
nurse but only has two years of nursing education and is not allowed to give drugs, etc
enfermera sanitaria
155. licentiate: a person who has been given a license to practice as a doctor
licenciado
156. long stay patient: patient who will stay in hospital for a long time
paciente de estada prolongada
157. long-stay: staying a long time in hospital
estada prolongada
158. maintenance department: for keeping the hospital in good repair
servicio de mantenimiento
159. major surgery: surgical operations involving important organs in the body
intervencin quirrgica seria / ciruga mayor
160. managed care: the outside involvement or intervention in health treatment decisions
made by physicians or patients
gestin de los servicios de salud
161. managed health care: see managed care for definition
servicios de salud gerenciados
162. manager: person in charge of a department in the health service or person in charge of
a group of hospitals
administrador
163.

maternity clinic: see antenatal clinic

164. MEDICAID: a federal-state program, usually operated by state welfare or health

departments, within the guidelines issued by the HCFA. Medicaid furnishes at least five
basic services to needy persons: inpatient hospital care, outpatient hospital care,

physicians' services, skilled nursing-home services for adults, and laboratory and X-ray
services. The people who are eligible include families and certain children who qualify for
public assistance and may include aged, blind, and disabled adults who are eligible for the
Supplemental Security Income program of the Social Security Administration. States may
also include persons and families termed medically needy who meet eligibility
requirements except those for financial assistance. Each state decides who is eligible for
Medicaid benefits and what services shall be included. Some of the benefits frequently
provided are dental care; ambulance services; and the cost of drugs, eyeglasses, and
hearing aids. In determining eligibility for the program, a state may not hold adult children
responsible for medical expenses of their parents
obra social para carenciados
165. medical aid: treatment of someone who is ill or injured given by a doctor
auxilio mdico
166. medical assistance: help provided by a nurse or by an ambulanceman or by a member
of the Red Cross, etc
asistencia mdica
167. medical center: place where several different doctors and specialists practice
centro mdico
168. medical certificate: official document signed by a doctor giving a patient permission
to be away from work or not to do certain types of work
certificado mdico
169. medical doctor (MD): doctor who practices medicine but not usually a surgeon
mdico/doctor en medicina
170. medical history: details of a patients medical records over a period of time
historia clnica
171. medical insurance: insurance which pays for private medical treatment
seguro mdico
172. medical intervention: treatment of an illness by drugs
tratamiento
173. medical records department: where each patient's medical information is filed
departamento de historias clnicas
174. medical records: information about a patients medical history
historia clnica
175. medical secretary: qualified secretary who specializes in medical documentation,
either in a hospital or in a doctors surgery
secretaria

176. medical social worker: person who helps patients with their family problems or
problems related to their work which may have an effect on their response to treatment
trabajador/auxiliar mdico-social
177. medical staff: usually self-governing and is delegated by the board of trustees to
supervise the medical services rendered to patients. The medical staff, through its
executive committee or medical board composed of practicing physicians, makes
recommendations on the quality of medical care in the hospital. Physicians practicing
within hospitals may be in private practice, affiliated with group practices, or on the fulltime hospital staff. The chief of the medical staff has administrative responsibility for the
medical staff and is in charge of selecting and training interns and residents during their
postgraduate training. Frequently each specialized staff or department, such as that for
surgery, obstetrics, or neurology, has its own chief
cuerpo mdico
178. medical ward: ward for patients who do not have to undergo surgical operations
seccin de asistencia mdica
179. MEDICARE: system of public health insurance in the US. Medicare covers persons
over the age of 65, certain disabled individuals under the age of 65, and those with endstage renal disease (kidney failure). Benefits are divided into two parts: (1) a basic
hospital-insurance plan covering hospital care, extended care, home health services, and
hospice care for terminally ill patients; and (2) a voluntary medical-insurance program
covering physicians' fees, outpatient services, and other medical services. Medicare costs
are met by social security contributions, monthly premiums from participants, and general
revenues
obra social para jubilados
180. medication: i) method of treatment by giving drugs to a patient;
tratamiento/medicacin
ii) medicine or drug taken by a patient
medicamento
181. general practice: a doctors practice where patients from a district are treated for all
types of illness
medicina general
182. medicine: i) drug or medication taken to treat a disease or condition;
medicamento/medicina/remedio
ii) study of diseases and how to cure or prevent them
medicina
183. medico: (informal) doctor
galeno

184. member: person belonging to some association, (such as a health care plan
organization)
afiliado/asegurado
185. mental health counselor: a masters level social worker or mental health professional
or licensed psychologist with child and adolescent mental health expertise who provides
individual assessment, treatment and referral, as well as group counseling
consejero de salud mental
186. mental health supervisor: a doctorate-level professional who provides consultative
and supervisory services for the Mental Health Counselor
supervisor de salud mental
187. mental hospital: hospital for the treatment of mentally ill patients
hospital psiquitrico
188. minor surgery: surgical operation involving organs of secondary importance
ciruga menor
189. morgue: a place where the bodies of unknown dead persons or those dead of unknown
causes are kept to be examined or identified before burial or cremation
morgue
190. multicentric trial: trial carried out in several centers at the same time
ensayo clnico multicntrico
191. National Health Service (NHS): government service in the UK which provides
medical services free of charge, or at reduced cost, to the whole population
servicio de asistencia sanitaria de la Seguridad Social
192. National Insurance: weekly payment from a persons wages (with a supplement from
the employer) which pays for state assistance, medical treatment, etc
Seguridad Social
193. neighborhood health clinic: place where people living in underserved communities
can get medical care. Often the neighborhood clinics are miniature versions of clinics in
teaching hospitals. Many hospital services are available at the neighborhood clinic, but
when patients need special testing or treatment, they are sent to the hospital. In some cases
the people of the community run the clinics. In others there is joint hospital-community
control. Still others are administered entirely by hospitals or by doctors
clnica de salud de la comunidad
194. neurology department: for brain and central nervous system disorders (specialized
medical department; only in large hospitals)
sector/servicio de neurologa

195. non-licensed personnel: personnel with no license

personal no matriculado
196. nurse practitioner: nurse employed by a clinic or doctors practice who can give
advice to patients
enfermera especializada en atencin primaria de la salud
197. nurse: 1) (noun) person (usually a woman) who looks after a sick person in a hospital
or helps a doctor in his surgery. Although the term nurse applies to both men and
women, in popular speech it is used more frequently to refer to women, and male nurse
is used for men.
enfermera
2) (vb.) to look after sick people
cuidar/atender/asistir
198. nursery school: school for little children
escuela maternal
199. nurses station: nurses follow physicians instructions. At the nurses station, nurses
have to arrange for all procedures to be developed on patients of the ward which the nurses
station serves. There is usually a nurses station for each ward
sala de enfermera
200. nursing department: one of the most important in a hospital. A nurse in a centrally
located nursing station is always only seconds away from any patient needing urgent
medical attention. Nurses chart basic information about the patient's condition, such as
temperature, pulse, and blood pressure. Nurses report important changes in the patient's
condition to doctors and then carry out the doctor's orders for correcting the situation if the
doctor's presence is not required. Increasingly, nurses have taken on additional
responsibility
sector/servicio de enfermera
201. nursing home: house where convalescents or old people can live under medical
supervision by a qualified nurse
hogar de convalescencia/centro mdico no hospitalario/casa de reposo/hogar de
ancianos/ dispensario
202. nursing intervention: treatment of illness by nursing care, without surgery
tratamiento
203. nursing manager: nurse who has administrative duties in a hospital or the health
service
encargada de enfermera
204. nursing mother: mother who breast feeds her baby
madre lactante

205. nursing officer: nurse who has administrative duties in the National Health Service
oficial de enfermera
206. nursing staff: it is the largest staff in the hospital, is administered by a director who
assigns nurses to various duties and who may also direct the hospital's school of nursing
cuerpo de enfermeros/enfermera
207. nutrition department: hospitalized persons often need special foods, which are
prepared by the hospital's dietetics department. A dietitian is trained to tailor a meal to the
needs of each patient. Diabetics, for example, need sugar-free, balanced diets, while heart
patients need low-salt diets. Also, the dietetics service must put considerable effort into
planning and preparing meals for all other patients. Imagination must be used to avoid
monotonous meals and to stimulate the appetites of sick persons
departamento de nutricin
208. nutritionist: dietitian or person who specializes in the study of nutrition and advises
on diets
nutrilogo/nutricionista
209. OB/GYN: obstetrics and gynecology department
obstetricia y ginecologa/tocoginecologa
210. obstetrician: doctor who specializes in obstetrics
obstetra/toclogo
211. obstetrics and gynecology department: tends the health of female patients in general
as well as newborn babies and their mothers
obstetricia y ginecologa
212. obstetrics: branch of medicine and surgery dealing with pregnancy, childbirth and the
period immediately after childbirth
obstetricia/tocologa
213. occupancy rate: number of beds occupied in a hospital , shown as a percentage of all
the beds
tasa de ocupacin de camas
214. occupational health (OH) nurse: nurse who deals with health problems of people at
work
enfermera de salud ocupacional
215. open visiting: arrangement in a hospital where visitors can enter the wards at any time
sistema visita sin lmite horario
216. operating department assistance (ODA): nurse working in the operating department
enfermera de quirfano

217. operating room (OR): special room in a hospital where surgeons carry out operations
quirfano/sala de operaciones
218. operating table: special table on which the patient is placed to undergo a surgical
operation
mesa de operaciones
219.

operating theater: see operating room

220. optometrist: (mainly US) person who specializes in testing eyes and prescribing
lenses
optometrista
221. optometry: testing of eyes and prescribing of lenses to correct defects in sight
optometra
222. orthopedic hospital: hospital which specializes in operations to correct badly formed
joins or bones
ortopedia
223. orthopedic surgeon: surgeon who specializes in orthopedics
ortopedista/traumatlogo
224. orthopedics: branch of surgery dealing with abnormalities, diseases and injuries of the
locomotor system
ortopedia
225. outbreak: series of cases of a disease which start suddenly
brote/epidemia
226. outpatient or outpatients department or clinic: department of a hospital which
deals with outpatients
consultorios externos
227. outpatient: patient living at home, who comes to the hospital for treatment
paciente no hospitalizado/ no internado/ambulatorio
228. outreach: services provided for patients or the public outside a hospital or a clinic or
local government department
servicios de extensin / servicios de extensin
229. over-the-counter (OTC) drugs: drugs which can be bought freely at the chemists
shop, and do not need a prescription
medicamentos de venta libre
230. paramedic: person in a profession linked to that of nurse, doctor or surgeon
profesional conectado con la medicina (enfermero, kinesilogo)

231. pathologist: a) doctor who specializes in the study of diseases and the changes in the
body caused by disease; he examines tissue specimens from patients and reports on the
presence or absence of disease on them; b) doctor who examines dead bodies to find out
the cause of death
patlogo
232. pathology department: personnel in the pathology department study tissue specimens
to help diagnose disease or determine causes of death (specialized medical department;
only in large hospitals)
servicio/sector de patologa
233. pathology report: report on tests carried out to find the cause of a disease
informe patolgico
234. pathology: study of diseases and the changes in structure and function which diseases
cause in the body
patologa
235. pathophysiology: study of abnormal or diseased organs
patofisiologa
236. pay bed: bed (usually in a separate room) in a National Health Service hospital for
which a patient pays separately
cama arancelada
237. pediatrics department: sick children requiring hospitalization are treated in the
pediatrics department. There they are cared for by specially trained pediatric nurses or
even nurse-practitioners who have received extra instruction in caring for sick children.
Many hospitals have playrooms for children. A recreation director may supervise play, or a
volunteer worker might be responsible for the playroom
servicio/sector de pediatra
238. performance appraisal: evaluation of the performance of all staff in a hospital
evaluacin de rendimiento
239. pharmacy: a) study of making and dispensing of drugs; b) shop or department in a
hospital where drugs are prepared
farmacia
240. physicians office: small private clinic owned by one physician where he practices the
profession independently of any hospital
consultorio mdico
241. physical medicine: branch of medicine which deals with physical disabilities or with
treatment of disorders after they have been diagnosed
medicina fsica

242. physician: registered doctor who is not a surgeon. In GB English physician refers to
a specialist doctor, though not usually a surgeon, while in US English it is used for any
qualified doctor
mdico
243. physiotherapy clinic: clinic where patients can have physiotherapy
clnica de kinesiologa / fisioterapia
244. physiotherapy: treatment of a disorder or condition by exercise or massage or heat
treatment or infrared lamps, etc to restore strength, to restore function after a disease or
injury, to correct a deformity
fisioterapia/kinesiterapia
245. PMPM (per member per month): the reimbursement methodology most common to
capitation. It is a negotiated amount that a health care provider agrees to receive for each
covered beneficiary month in return for providing specified services for a defined
population
mensual por afiliado (cpita)
246. Point of Service (POS): a method of providing medical services to enrollees where
they have a choice of physicians to see. Rather than having to go to a clinic for services,
the enrollee may choose the office of any physician who is part of the network
punto de servicio
247.

practice nurse: see nurse practitioner

248. practitioner: a doctor, a qualified person who practices

mdico
249. preadmission information: information given to a patient before he is admitted to
hospital
informacin de antes de internarse
250. Preferred Provider Organization (PPO): plan similar to the HMO. The difference
between them is that a PPO partially reimburses for services from a physician not on its
preferred list while and HMO typically does not reimburse at all unless care is received
from an HMO physician
Sistema abierto de medicina prepaga (con reintegro)
251.

prenatal diagnosis: see antenatal diagnosis

252. prescription drugs: drugs and medicines which chemists are not allowed to sell to
people without prescriptions
medicamentos recetados

253. prescription: order written by a doctor to a pharmacist asking for a drug to be

prepared and given or sold to a patient
receta
254. prevention services: services that focus on keeping the population healthy or
improving the health status of the population (e.g., immunizations, smoking cessation
programs, and nutritional programs)
servicios de prevencin
255. preventive measure: step taken to prevent a disease from occurring. Preventive
measures include immunization, vaccination, sterilization, quarantine and improving
standards of housing and sanitation. Health education is also important
medida preventiva
256. preventive medicine: medical action for preventing a disease from occurring
medicina preventiva
257. primary care physician (PCP): the physician who addresses the broad health needs of
the population. These physicians usually serve as the gatekeepers of managed care
organizations
mdico de cabecera
258. primary health care or primary medical care: treatment provided by a general
practitioner
atencin primaria de salud
259. private hospital: hospital which takes only paying patients
clnica
260. private patient: patient who is paying for treatment, and who is not being treated
under the National Health Service
paciente particular
261. private practice: services of a doctor or surgeon or dentist which are paid for by the
patients themselves (or by a medical insurance), but not by the National Health Service
ejercicio privado (de la profesin)
262. private room: room for only one person. This room is generally paid by the patient
himself, but some major medical insurance systems pay for it. This means the patient pays
a higher premium per month
habitacin privada
263. procedure: i) type of treatment;
intervencin
ii) treatment given at one time
acto mdico

264. professional misconduct: action which is thought to be wrong by the body which
regulates a profession (such as an action by a doctor which is considered wrong by the
General Medical Council)
falta de tica profesional
265. prognosis: opinion of how a disease or disorder will develop
pronstico
266. program: series of medical treatments given in a set way at set times
programa de salud pblica
267. progression of a disease: way in which a disease develops
curso/desarrollo/evolucin de una enfermedad
268. psychiatry department: for mental illnesses (specialized medical department; only in
large hospitals)
sector/servicio de psiquiatra
269. public health: health care for the public, provided by the government or local
authority, including preventive medicine, sanitation and hygiene in public places
salud/sanidad pblica
270. public relations (PR): i) the work of forming in the minds of the general public a
favorable opinion of an organization; ii) good relations between an organization and the
public
relaciones pblicas
271. punched card: card with holes punched on it which a computer can read
tarjeta perforada
272. recovery room: room in a hospital where a patient who has had an operation is placed
until the effects of an anaesthetic have worn off and he can be moved into an ordinary
ward. At the recovery room, the patient's overall condition is monitored carefully by
skilled nurses for several hours. The recovery room may be large enough to hold several
postoperative patients at the same time. Lifesaving emergency equipment is there for the
rare times that it is needed
sala de recuperacin
273. referral: sending a patient to a specialist
derivacin
274. registrar: qualified doctor or surgeon in a hospital who supervises house officers
jefe de admisin y residencia
275. rehabilitation medicine department: helps paralyzed patients and those with other
limb problems gain the skills required for life outside the hospital (specialized medical

department; only in large hospitals)

departamento de medicina de rehabilitacin
276. rehabilitation: making a patient fit to work or to lead a normal life
rehabilitacin
277. reimbursement: repayment to someone of money
reintegro
278. Relative Value Units (RVU): the amount of services determined to be appropriate to
perform a specific health care procedure. Resources include human resources, capital
resources and operational supplies
unidades de valores relativos
279.

relief (US): see benefit

280. remedial activity: curing or helping activity; intended to provide a remedy

actividad asistencial
281. residency slots: a place or position in the residency
vacantes para residentes
282. resident doctor or nurse: doctor or nurse who lives in a certain building (such as an
old peoples home)
residente
283. residential care: care of patients either in a hospital or at home (but not as outpatients)
cuidado en instituciones
284. resource-based relative value system (RBRVS): a system established by Medicare to
reimburse participating physicians based on relative resource utilization measured by
relative value units and cost adjustment factors
escala basada en el valor relativo de los recursos
285. resourse-based relative value unit (RBRVU): a measure of relative resourse
consumption associated with providing a service and intended to correlate with the price
paid for the item
unidades de valores relativos
286. revenue: income
utilidades/ganancias
287. sanitation: the use of means for protecting public health, especially by the removing
and treatment of waste
sanidad/saneamiento

288. scheduling: planning of things to be done or to be dealt with in future periods

planeamiento
289. school health service: special service, part of the Local Health Authority, which looks
after the health of children in school
servicio mdico de la escuela / sanidad escolar
290. screening: process of selection of people for positions at an organization, institution or
hospital
seleccin
291. secondary medical care: specialized treatment provided by a hospital
tratamientos ms complejos
292. secondary prevention: ways (such as screening tests) of avoiding a serious disease by
detecting it early
prevencin secundaria
293. self-care: looking after yourself properly, so that you remain healthy
autoayuda
294. self-governing hospital: NHS hospital trust, a hospital which earns its revenue from
services provided to District State Authorities and family doctors
hospital autnomo
295. semiprivate room: room which accommodates two to four persons
habitacin compartida
296. seniority: official advantage coming from the length of ones service in an
organization
antiguedad
297. side rails: rails at the side of a bed which can be lifted to prevent a patient from falling
out
barandas
298. side-effect: effect produced by a drug or treatment which is not the main effect
intended
efectos secundarios
299. sister in charge: senior nurse in charge of a hospital ward
enfermera de sala / caba
300. sister: senior nurse
enfermera jefa

301. sleeping facilities: some hospitals provide sleeping facilities for a parent so that he or
she can be near the hospitalized child and provide a measure of care. In this way the child
is spared some of the anxiety and fear of being sick among strangers. To help allay fears,
some pediatrics sections encourage children to visit the hospital before they are admitted
for treatment
dormitorios
302. social disease: sexually transmitted diseases
enfermedades venreas
303. social medicine: medicine as applied to treatment of diseases which occur in certain
social groups
medicina social
304. social security: payments made by the government to people or families who need
money
seguridad social
305. social worker: government official who works to improve living standards of groups
(such as families)
asistente/trabajador social
306. special care baby unit: unit in a hospital which deals with premature babies or babies
with serious disorders
sala de neonatologa
307. special hospital: hospital for dangerous mental patients
hospital especializado
308. specialist: doctor who specializes in a certain branch of medicine
especialista
309. specialization: i) act of specializing in a certain branch of medicine;
especializacin
ii) particular branch of medicine which a doctor specializes in
especialidad/especializacin
310. specialty: particular branch of medicine
especialidad
311. sports medicine: study of the treatment of sports injuries
medicina del deporte
312. staff nurse: nurse who is on the permanent staff of a hospital
enfermera de sala

313. staff: people who work in a hospital, clinic, doctors surgery, etc
personal/empleados
314. staffers: members of the staff
miembros del personal
315. staffing: providing with a staff, as of workers
dotacin de personal
316. stage: point in the development of a disease, which allows a decision to be taken about
the treatment which should be given
etapa
317. State Enrolled Nurse (SEN): nurse who has passed examinations successfully in one
of the special courses of study. They follow a two-year course to qualify in general nursing
(ENG), mental nursing (ENM) or nursing mentally handicapped patients (ENMH)
enfermera que ha cursado estudios de dos aos
318. stress management: any system of recognizing, controlling and reducing ones
reactions to the stresses of everyday life, especially those connected with the business
world. Such a system usually includes various methods of relaxation
manejo del estrs
319. subscriber/enrollee: someone who is enrolled to receive the use of a service over a
period of time and for which he or she pays
afiliados
320. support groups: group of people who meet to help each other with a particular
problem, for example, alcoholism
grupos de apoyo
321. surgeon general: government official responsible for all aspects of public health
director de servicios de salud / ministro de salud
322. surgeon: doctor who specializes in surgery
cirujano
323. surgery department: a typical operating room contains a tiltable operating table,
bright overhead light, and instrument stands. It also has a suction machine to draw off
mucus or remove fluids from an open wound; a preparation table for gauze pads and
antiseptics; and a stand that holds sponges, or special pieces of gauze, used during an
operation. Certain operating rooms are specially set up for unique types of surgery. When
open-heart surgery is done, for example, the operating room must have a heart-lung
machine to take over the jobs of those immobilized organs. Some injuries or other
disorders can best be corrected only through surgery. Major surgery is usually performed
in a hospital operating room, though minor surgery may be performed in the office of a

physician who has a private practice

sector de ciruga
324. surgery: a) treatment of a disease or disorder which requires an operation to cut into or
to remove or to manipulate tissue or organs or parts;
ciruga/intervencin quirrgica
b) room where a doctor or dentist sees and examines patients
consultorio
325. surgical intervention: treatment of illness by surgery
ciruga
326. surgical ward: ward in a hospital for patients who have to have operations
sala de ciruga
327. teaching hospital: hospital attached to a medical school where student doctors work
and study as part of their training
hospital docente / escuela
328. technician: qualified person who does practical work in a laboratory or scientific
institution
tcnico
329. technique: way of doing scientific or medical work
tcnica/mtodo/procedimiento
330. terminal care: care provided to somebody who is dying
cuidados terminales
331. terminal illness: illness from which the patient will soon die
enfermedad terminal
332. test: short examination to see if a sample is healthy or if part of the body is working
well
prueba/reaccin/ensayo
333. theater nurse: nurse who is specially trained to a surgeon during an operation
enfermera quirrgica
334. therapy: treatment of a patient to help cure a disease or disorder
terapia/tratamiento
335. treatment: way of looking after a sick or injured person or to try to cure a sick person;
way of trying to cure a disease
tratamiento

336. trial: test

ensayo
337. unprofessional conduct: action by a professional person (a doctor or nurse, etc) which
is considered wrong by the body which regulates the profession
conducta poco profesional
338. VD clinic: clinic specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of venereal diseases
clnica para el tratamiento de enfermedades venreas
339. visiting times: times of day when friends are allowed into a hospital to visit patients
horario de visitas
340. vital statistics: official statistics relating to the population of a place (such as the
percentage of the live births per thousand, the incidence of a certain disease, the number of
births and deaths)
estadsticas demogrficas
341. voluntary admission: admitting a patient into a psychiatric hospital with the consent
of the patient
internacin voluntaria
342. waiting list: list of patients waiting for admission to hospital usually for treatment of
non-urgent disorders
lista de espera/turno
343. waiting room: room at a doctors or dentists surgery where patients wait
sala de espera
344. waiting time: period between the time when the name of a patient has been put on the
waiting list and his admission into hospital
tiempo de espera
345. ward nurse: nurse who works in a hospital ward
enfermera de sala
346.

ward sister: see sister in charge

347. ward: room or set of rooms in a hospital with beds for the patients. It usually
accomodates four or more persons so it is the least expensive
sala/pabelln
348. welfare: i) condition of health, confort and happines
bienestar social
ii) help provided for people with social problems, money difficulties, etc
asistencia social

iii) (in the US) (the system of) government money paid to people in special need
prestaciones sociales
349. well-woman clinic: clinic which specializes in preventive medicine for women (such
as breast screening and cervical smear tests) and gives advice on pregnancy, contraception,
the menopause, etc
clnica de medicina preventiva para la mujer
350. woman's ward or woman's hospital: ward or hospital for female patients
clnica de la mujer
351. workers compensation: the compensation to an employee for injury or occupational
disease suffered in connection with employment, paid under a government-supervised
insurance system contributed to by employers
indemnizacin laboral
352. World Health Organization (WHO): organization (part of the United Nations
Organization) which aims to improve health in the world by teaching or publishing
information, etc
Organizacin Mundial de la Salud (OMS)
353. X-ray department: a medical specialist called a radiologist uses X rays and other
forms of energy to determine conditions inside the body. X-ray and other images are taken
in the hospital radiology department. Another kind of specialist, called a neuroradiologist,
uses X-ray or nuclear techniques to diagnose and treat diseases of the brain and central
nervous system. Also, radiation generated by powerful machines in the radiation medicine
department is used by radiation oncologists to treat certain diseases, particularly cancer
departamento de radiologa

Contralistado

actividad asistencial: remedial activity

acto mdico: procedure
administrador: administrator/ manager
afiliado: member/subscriber/enrollee
agente de propaganda mdica (APM): drug representative
alta: discharge
ambulanciero: ambulanceman
antigedad: seniority
archivos: card-index file
rea de cobertura: catchment area
asegurado: member
asilo de nios: childrens home
asilo: asylum
asistencia mdica: medical assistance
asistencia posoperatoria: aftercare
asistencia social: welfare
asistencia: care
asistente de hospital: hospital orderly
asistente social: social worker
asistir: (to) nurse
Asociacin de ejercicio independiente de la medicina: independent practice
association (IPA)
atencin comunitaria: community services
atencin primaria de salud: primary health care or primary medical care
atender (a un paciente): (to) attend/ nurse
autoayuda: self-care

auxiliar mdico-social: medical social worker

auxilio mdico: medical aid
ayuda domiciliaria: home help
ayuda familiar: home help
barandas: side rails
beneficio: benefit (Br.)/ relief (US):
bienestar social: welfare
boletn informativo: hospital newsletter
brote: outbreak
caba: sister in charge
cama arancelada: pay bed
cama de agudos: acute bed
cama de hospital: hospital bed
cama: hospital bed
camillero: hospital orderly
capitacin: capitation
casa de convalescencia: convalescent home
casa de reposo: nursing home
casa-cuna: day nursery
caso de solucin en el da: day case/day patient
caso: case
centro de consulta mdica para mujeres embarazadas: antenatal clinic/ maternity
clinic
centro de consultas: clinic
centro de salud: health center
centro hospitalario: general hospital
centro mdico no hospitalario: nursing home
centro mdico: medical center
centro para pacientes terminales: hospice
certificado mdico: medical certificate
chata: bedpan
ciruga cardiovascular: cardiac surgery
ciruga exploradora: exploratory surgery
ciruga mayor: major surgery
ciruga menor: day surgery/minor sugery
ciruga: surgery/ surgical intervention
cirujano: surgeon
clnica de fisioterapia: physiotherapy clinic
clnica de kinesiologa: physiotherapy clinic
clnica de la mujer: woman's ward or woman's hospital
clnica de medicina preventiva para la mujer: well-woman clinic
clnica de planificacin familiar: family planning clinic
clnica de reposo: convalescent home

clnica de salud de la comunidad: neighborhood health clinic

clnica para el tratamiento de enfermedades venreas: VD clinic
clnica: clinic/ private hospital
clnico (adj.): clinical
clnico (sust.): clinician
cocina: kitchen
Comit Internacional de la Cruz Roja: International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC)
conducta poco profesional: unprofessional conduct
conductor de ambulancia: ambulanceman
consejero de salud mental: mental health counselor
consultorio atendido por un grupo de mdicos: group practice
consultorio mdico: physicians office
consultorio: clinic
consultorio: surgery
consultorios externos: outpatient or outpatients department or clinic
cuerpo de enfermera: nursing staff
cuerpo de enfermeros: nursing staff
cuerpo mdico: medical staff
cuidado de la salud: health care
cuidado de postratamiento: aftercare
cuidado en instituciones: residential care
cuidados intensivos: intensive care
cuidados terminales: terminal care
cuidar: (to) nurse
curso de una enfermedad: progression of a disease
demografa: demography
departamento de historias clnicas: medical records department
departamento de medicina de rehabilitacin: rehabilitation medicine department
departamento de nutricin: nutrition department
departamento de radiologa: X-ray department
departamento de terapia correctiva: corrective therapy department
departamento de terapia rehabilitatoria / rehabilitativa: corrective therapy
department
derivacin: referral
desarrollo de una enfermedad: progression of a disease
diagnosticar: (to) diagnose
diagnstico diferencial: differential diagnosis
diagnstico: diagnosis
das de internacin: bed days
director de servicios de salud: surgeon general
directorio: board of directors
dispensario: health center / nursing home

doctor en medicina: medical doctor (MD)

dormitorios: sleeping facilities
dotacin de personal: staffing
educacin en/para la salud: health education
educador especializado en salud: health educator
efectos secundarios: side-effect
ejercicio privado (de la profesin): private practice
emergencia: accident and emergency department (A&E)/accident ward/casualty
ward/emergency ward
empleados: staff
encargada de enfermera: nursing manager
enfermedad terminal: terminal illness
enfermedades venreas: social disease
enfermera de atencin ambulatoria: district nurse/home nurse
enfermera de piso (que lleva al enfermo hasta la sala de operaciones): escort nurse
enfermera de quirfano: operating department assistance (ODA)
enfermera de sala: sister in charge/ward nurse/ staff nurse/ ward sister / staff nurse
enfermera de salud ocupacional: occupational health (OH) nurse
enfermera especializada en atencin primaria de la salud: nurse practitioner/
practice nurse
enfermera especializada en clnica: clinical nurse specialist
enfermera extrahospitalaria: district nurse/home nurse
enfermera jefa: charge nurse/sister
enfermera psiquitrica comunitaria: Community Psiquiatric Nurse (CPN)
enfermera que ha cursado estudios de dos aos: (State) Enrolled Nurse (SEN) /
Enrolled Nurse (EN)
enfermera que tiene a su cuidado a los pacientes de un distrito: district nurse/home
nurse
enfermera quirrgica: theater nurse
enfermera sanitaria: Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)
enfermera: nurse
enfermera: infirmary
enfermero de ambulancia: ambulanceman
enfermero: hospital orderly
enfermo del corazn: cardiac patient
ensayo clnico multicntrico: multicentric trial
ensayo clnico: clinical trial
ensayo: test / trial
epidemia: outbreak
escala basada en el valor relativo de los recursos: resource-based relative value
system (RBRVS)
escuela maternal: nursery school
especialidad: specialization/ specialty

especialista en geriatra: geriatrician

especialista: specialist
especializacin: specialization
estada prolongada: long-stay
estada promedio de internacin: average length of stay (ALOS)
estadsticas demogrficas: vital statistics
estudio de/por casos: case study
etapa: stage
evaluacin de rendimiento: performance appraisal
evolucin de una enfermedad: progression of a disease
examen prenatal: antenatal diagnosis/ prenatal diagnosis
extensin sanatorial: outreach
falta de tica profesional: professional misconduct
farmacia: pharmacy
ficha: file card / index card
fichero: card index / catalogue
filtro: gatekeeper
fisioterapia: physiotherapy
franquicia: deductible
gabinete: laboratory /lab
galeno: medico
ganancias: revenue
geriatra: geriatrician
gestin de los servicios de salud: managed care
gestin hospitalaria: hospital management
grupos calificados por diagnstico: diagnosis-related groups (DRG)
grupos de apoyo: support groups
guardera diurna: day nursery
guardera infantil: day nursery
habitacin compartida: semiprivate room
habitacin privada: private room
historia clnica: case history / medical history
historia clnica: medical record
hogar de ancianos: nursing home
hogar de convalecencia: nursing home
hogar diurno: day nursery
horario de visitas: visiting times
hospital (no especializado): general hospital
hospital autnomo: self-governing hospital
hospital de agudos: acute care hospital
hospital de corta estada: acute care hospital
hospital de da: day hospital
hospital de infecciosos: isolation hospital

hospital de pabellones: cottage hospital

hospital docente: teaching hospital
hospital escuela: teaching hospital
hospital especializado: special hospital
hospital geritrico: geriatric unit or ward or hospital
hospital psiquitrico: mental hospital
hospital: hospital
impuesto de salud: health tax
indemnizacin laboral: workers compensation
ndice de ocupacin de camas: bed occupancy rate
informacin de antes de internarse: preadmission information
informe patolgico: pathology report
ingreso: admission
institucin: institution
instituto: institution
internacin voluntaria: voluntary admission
internacin: admission
internista: internist
interno de hospital: house officer
interno: houseman/ intern
intervencin quirrgica seria: major surgery
intervencin quirrgica: surgery/ surgical intervention
intervencin: intervention/ procedure
jefe de admisin y residencia: registrar
junta de administracin: board of directors
junta directiva: board of directors
junta hospitalaria: hospital trust
kinesiterapia: physiotherapy
laboratorio: laboratory /lab
lavandera: laundry
licencia: license
licenciado: licentiate
lista de espera: waiting list
madre lactante: nursing mother
manejo de caso: case management
manejo del estrs: stress management
manera de tratar a los pacientes: bedside manner
matrcula: license
medicacin: medication
medicamento: medication/ medicine
medicamentos de venta libre: over-the-counter (OTC) drugs
medicamentos recetados: prescription drugs
medicina alternativa: fringe medicine

medicina clnica: clinical medicine

medicina comunitaria: community medicine
medicina del deporte: sports medicine
medicina fsica: physical medicine
medicina forense: forensic medicine
medicina general: general practice
medicina interna: internal medicine
medicina legal: forensic medicine
medicina preventiva: preventive medicine
medicina social: social medicine
medicina: medicine
mdico clnico: general practitioner (GP) / generalist
mdico de cabecera: family doctor/ primary care physician (PCP) / attending
physician
mdico de turno: attending physician
mdico: medical doctor (MD)
mdico: physician/ practitioner
medida preventiva: preventive measure
mejoramiento continuo de la calidad: continuum quality improvement (CQI)
mensual por afiliado: PMPM (per member per month)
mesa de operaciones: operating table
mtodo: technique
miembros del personal: staffers
ministro de salud: surgeon general
morgue: morgue
neonatologa: hospital nursery
nosocomio: hospital
nutricionista: nutritionist
nutrilogo: nutritionist
obra social para carenciados: MEDICAID
obra social para jubilados: MEDICARE
obstetra: obstetrician
obstetricia y ginecologa: obstetrics and gynecology department /OB/GYN
obstetricia: obstetrics
oficial de enfermera: nursing officer
oficial de salud ambiental: Environmental Health Officer (EHO) or Public Health
Inspector
oficial mdico principal: chief medical officer
optometra: optometry
optometrista: optometrist
ordenanza: hospital orderly
Organizacin Mundial de la Salud (OMS): World Health Organization (WHO)
ortopedia: orthopedics/orthopedic hospital

ortopedista: orthopedic surgeon

pabelln: ward
paciente ambulatorio: outpatient / day case
paciente de estada prolongada: long stay patient
paciente hospitalizado: inpatient
paciente no hospitalizado: outpatient
paciente no internado: outpatient
paciente particular: private patient
paciente postrado en cama: bedridden patient
pago por acto mdico: fee-for-service (FFS) system
paramdico de urgencias: emergency medical technician (EMT)
patofisiologa: pathophysiology
patologa clnica: clinical pathology
patologa: pathology
patlogo: pathologist
persona que presta primeros auxilios: first aider
personal auxiliar: ancillary staff
personal de cocina: kitchen
personal no matriculado: non-licensed personnel
personal: staff
plan de atencin: care plan
plan de cuidados: care plan
plan de prepaga: care plan
planeamiento: scheduling
prestacin: benefit (Br.)/ relief (US):
prestaciones sociales: welfare
prevencin secundaria: secondary prevention
primeros auxilios: first aid
procedimiento: technique
profesional conectado con la medicina: paramedic
profesionales de la salud: health care specialist
programa de salud pblica: program
pronstico: prognosis
prueba: test
pruebas para establecer el diagnstico: diagnostic test
psiquitrico: asylum
puesto de primeros auxilios: first aid post or station
punto de servicio: Point of Service (POS)
quirfano: operating room (OR)/ operating theater
reaccin: test
recepcionista: clinic recepcionist
receta: prescription
rehabilitacin: rehabilitation

reintegro: indemnity / reimbursement

relaciones pblicas: public relations (PR)
remedio: medicine
residencia de estudiantes: dormitory
residente de hospital: house officer/ resident doctor or nurse
sala de calderas: boiler room
sala de ciruga: surgical ward
sala de enfermera: nurses station
sala de espera: waiting room
sala de neonatologa (perodo perinatal): baby clinic
sala de neonatologa: special care baby unit
sala de operaciones: operating room (OR)
sala de parto: delivery room
sala de pediatra (despus del perodo perinatal): baby clinic
sala de recuperacin: day recovery ward / recovery room
sala de urgencias: accident ward
sala: ward
salud pblica: public health
saneamiento: sanitation
sanidad escolar: school health service
sanidad pblica: public health
sanidad: sanitation
seccin de asistencia mdica: medical ward
secretaria: medical secretary
sector de ciruga: surgery department
sector/servicio de enfermera: nursing department
sector/servicio de neurologa: neurology department
sector/servicio de psiquiatra: psychiatry department
sector/servicio de quemados: burns unit
Seguridad Social: National Insurance
seguridad social: social security
seguro colectivo: group health insurance
seguro de grupo: group health insurance
seguro mdico: health insurance/ medical insurance
seguro por incapacidad: disability insurance
seleccin: screening
servicio de asistencia sanitaria de la Seguridad Social: National Health Service (NHS)
servicio de catstrofe: disaster plans
servicio de limpieza: housekeeping department
servicio de mantenimiento: maintenance department
servicio mdico de la escuela: school health service
servicio mdico: health service
servicio/sector de cardiologa: cardiology department

servicio/sector de dermatologa: dermatology department

servicio/sector de patologa: pathology department
servicio/sector de pediatra: pediatrics department
servicios comunitarios: community services
servicios de extensin: outreach
servicios de prevencin: prevention services
servicios de salud gerenciados: managed health care
Sistema abierto de medicina prepaga (con reintegro): Preferred Provider
Organization (PPO)
sistema de medicina prepaga: Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
sistema de reintegro: indemnity insurance plans
sistema de seguro mdico: Blue Cross or Blue Shield
Sistema Integrado de Atencin: Integrated Delivery System (IDS) or Networks (IDN)
sistema visita sin lmite horario: open visiting
supervisor de salud mental: mental health supervisor
tarjeta ndice: index card
tarjeta perforada: punched card
tasa de ocupacin de camas: occupancy rate
tcnica: technique
tcnicas de laboratotio: laboratory techniques
tcnico de laboratorio: laboratory technician
tcnico: technician
terapia de grupo: group therapy
terapia intensiva: intensive care / intensive care unit (ICU)
terapia: therapy
tiempo de espera: waiting time
tocoginecologa: OB/GYN
tocologa: obstetrics
toclogo: obstetrician
trabajador de alcance comunitario: community outreach worker
trabajador de la salud: caregiver / carer
trabajador mdico-social: medical social worker
trabajador social: social worker
tratamiento poshospitalario: aftercare
tratamiento: medical intervention/ medication/ nursing intervention/ therapy/
treatment
tratamientos ms complejos: secondary medical care
traumatlogo: orthopedic surgeon
turno: waiting list
unidad coronaria: coronary care unit (CCU)
unidad de cuidado intensivo: intensive care unit (ICU)
unidades de valores relativos: Relative Value Units (RVU)
utilidades: revenue

vacantes para residentes: residency slots

visitador mdico: drug representative
visitadora de salud: health visitor
zona de captacin: catchment area
zona de influencia: catchment area

Bibliografa

Alfred Persily, Nancy, Eldercare, Positioning Your Hospital for the Future, American
Hospital Publishing, Inc., 1991
Business Spanish Dictionary, Peter Collin Publishing, 1997
Collin, P. H., Dictionary of Medicine, second edition, Peter Collin Publishing, 1993
Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, Compton's New Media, 1194
Diccionario de Ciencias Mdicas Dorlands, El Ateneo, 1966
Dictionary of English Language and Culture, Longman, 1993
Encarta 97 Encyclopedia, Microsoft Corporation, 1993-1996
English Language Dictionary, Collins Cobuild, 1192
Language Activator, Longman, 1994
Orellana, Marina, Glosario Internacional para el Traductor, tercer edicin, Editorial
Universitaria, 1994
Ruiz Torres, Diccionario de Trminos Mdicos, octava edicin, Zirtabe, 1995
Simon and Schusters International Dictionary, Simon & Schuster, Inc.
The Oxford Spanish Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 1994
Websters New World Dictionary, Third College Edition, Prentice Hall, 1991

Asesores

Ann Goldman, Epidemiloga, The George Washington University, Medical Center,

International Health Care Consulting Group
Douglas Davenport, Finanzas y Gerencia de Hospitales, The George Washington
University, Medical Center, International Health Care Consulting Group
Dr. Eduardo Faras, Instituto de Cardiologa de Corrientes Juana Francisca Cabral

Dr. Eduardo Tssano, Instituto de Cardiologa de Corrientes Juana Francisca Cabral

Dr. Reynaldo Jorge Badaracco, Director, Instituto de Cardiologa de Corrientes Juana
Francisca Cabral
Luis Maldonado, Consultor en Gestin Hospitalaria/Relaciones Intergubernamentales, The
George Washington University, Medical Center, International Health Care Consulting
Group