The medical field is littered with acronyms, often leaving many of us scratching our heads as to their meaning. We have gathered a helpful list of some of the most common acronyms relevant to healthcare in North Carolina and medicine in general.
Have an acronym that you’d like to add to this list? Email Kristen Shipherd with that information, and we’ll update this resource.
Acronyms
| AAMSE – American Association of Medical Society Executives |
| ACA – Affordable Care Act |
| ACI – Advancing Care Information |
| ACO – Accountable Care Organization |
| AHEC – Area Health Education Center |
| AIMS – Advancing Integrated Mental Health Solutions (part of the U of Washington that works on BHI) |
| AMA – American Medical Association |
| APM – Alternative Payment Model |
| ARRA – American Recovery & Reinvestment Act |
| ASAE – American Society of Association Executives |
| AVS – After Visit Summary |
| AWV – Annual Wellness Visit |
| BHI – Behavioral Health Integration |
| BMI – Body Mass Index |
| BOD – Board of Directors |
| BOT – Board of Trustees |
| BPMH – Best Possible Medication History |
| CCDs – Continuity of Care Documents |
| CCH – Carolina Complete Health |
| CCHN – Carolina Complete Health Network |
| CCM – Chronic Care Management |
| CCN – Coordinated Care Network |
| CEHRT – Certified EHR Technology |
| CHAWV – Caravan Health Annual Wellness Visits |
| CMS – Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services |
| COCM – Collaborative Care Management |
| CPC+ – Comprehensive Primary Care Plus |
| CPI – Chronic Pain Initiative |
| CPP – Community Practitioner Program |
| CSE – Carolinas Society of Endocrinologists |
| D/C – Discharge |
| DM – Direct Messaging |
| DOI – Department of Insurance |
| DPH – Department of Public Health |
| ECHO – Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes |
| ED – Emergency Department |
| EHR – Electronic Health Record |
| ET – Executive Team |
| FCLC – Future Clinician Leaders College |
| FFS – Fee for Service |
| FHLI – Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation |
| FQHC – Federally Qualified Health Centers |
| HCLM – Health Care Leadership & Management |
| HIE – Health Information Exchange |
| HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act |
| HISP – Health Information Service Provider |
| HIT – Health Information Technology |
| HPSA – Health Professional Shortage Areas |
| HRSA – Health Resources & Service Administration |
| KIPL – Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership (Development Program) |
| LC – Leadership College |
| LPN – Licensed Practice Nurse |
| MA – Medical Assistant |
| MAC – Medicare Administrative Contractor |
| MACRA – Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act |
| MAHEC – Mountain Area Health Education Center |
| MAP – Medication Assistance Program |
| MARP – Medication Access & Review Program |
| MAT (Certification) – Medication-Assisted Treatment |
| MCO – Managed Care Organization |
| Med Rec – Medical Reconciliation |
| MGMA – Medical Group Management Association |
| MIPS – Merit Based Incentive Payment System |
| MOU – Memorandum of Understanding |
| MSSP – Medicare Shared Savings Program |
| MSW – Masters of Social Work |
| MU – Meaningful Use |
| NCAAIS – North Carolina Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology Society |
| NCACP – North Carolina Chapter, American College of Physicians (Internal Medicine) |
| NC-STeP – North Carolina Statewide Telepsychiatry Program |
| NCAFP – North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians |
| NCAPA – North Carolina Academy of Physician Assistants |
| NCCPRW – North Carolina Clinician and Physician Retention and Well-Being Consortium |
| NCDA – North Carolina Dermatology Association |
| NCMGMA – North Carolina Medical Group Management Association |
| NCNS – North Carolina Neurological Society |
| NCOA – North Carolina Orthopaedic Association |
| NCOGS – North Carolina Obstetrical and Gynecological Society |
| NCSOHNS – North Carolina Society of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery |
| NCSEPS – North Carolina Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons |
| NCSP – North Carolina Society of Pathologists |
| NCSS – North Carolina Spine Society |
| NHSC – National Health Service Corps |
| NPI – National Provider Identification |
| NRACO – National Rural Accountable Care Consortium |
| NRHA – National Rural Health Association |
| OAT – Opioid Addiction Treatment |
| OBOT – Office-Based Opioid Treatment |
| ONC – Office of National Coordinator |
| ORH – Office of Rural Health |
| PatSat – Patient Satisfaction |
| PBM – Pharmacy Benefits Manager |
| PCMH – Patient-Centered Medical Home |
| PCO – Primary Care Office |
| PCP– Primary Care Physician |
| PDMP – Prescription Drug Monitoring Program |
| PDSA – Plan, Do, Study, Act |
| PHI – Protected Health Information |
| PIM – Practice Improvement Manager |
| PLE – Provider Led Entity |
| PMPM – Per Member, Per Month |
| PPA – Provider Participation Agreement |
| PQRS – Physicians Quality Reporting System |
| PSRC – Practice Sights Retention Collaborative |
| PT – Patient |
| PTN – Practice Transformation Network |
| QCDR – Quality Clinical Data Registry |
| QIW – Quality Improvement Workshop |
| QM – Quality Measures |
| QPP – Quality Payment Program |
| QRUR – Quality & Resource Use Report |
| RHC – Rural Health Clinic |
| SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration |
| SBIRT – Screening, Brief Intervention & Referral to Treatment |
| SDOH/SDH – Social Determinants of Health |
| SRAHEC – Southern Regional Area Health Education Center |
| STOP Act – Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention |
| SUD – Substance Use Disorder |
| TAC – Towards Accountable Care Consortium & Initiative |
| TCM – Transitional Care Management |
| TCPI – Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative |
| TIN – Tax Identification Number |
| TOC – Transitions of Care |
| VBC – Value Based Care |
| VBOT – Virtual-Based Opioid Treatment |