1. The LANGUAGE of HEALTHCARE INTRODUCTION Word Parts Word Parts Combining Parts to Form Words/Rules Pronunciation Abbreviations, Symbols and Acronyms

2. ORIGINS OF MEDICAL LANGUAGE Ancient Greeks and Romans Ancient Greeks and Romans Hippocrates – Father of Western Medicine Hippocrates – Father of Western Medicine Roman Empire – Latin Roman Empire – Latin German, French, English terms German, French, English terms Now 90% of terms are of Greek and Latin origin. Now 90% of terms are of Greek and Latin origin.

3. STRUCTURE AND WORD PARTS Analyze medical terms by dividing them into their component parts - 4 Analyze medical terms by dividing them into their component parts - 4 ROOT– foundation of the word. Gives the word its meaning ROOT– foundation of the word. Gives the word its meaning Examples: cardi = heart Examples: cardi = heart Pneum = air or lung Pneum = air or lung Gastr = stomach Gastr = stomach Neur = nerve Neur = nerve Ur = urine Ur = urine Hemat = blood Hemat = blood All medical terms have one or more roots All medical terms have one or more roots

4. WORD PARTS (con’t) COMBINING FORMS COMBINING FORMS Combination of the root and the combining vowel – most commonly ‘0’ May also be an ‘I’ Combination of the root and the combining vowel – most commonly ‘0’ May also be an ‘I’ Links root to suffix or root to another root Links root to suffix or root to another root Makes word easier to pronounce and spell. Makes word easier to pronounce and spell. Written as root/o Written as root/o Examples: Examples: Gastr/o Gastr/o Pneum/o Pneum/o Hemat/o Hemat/o Path/o = disease Path/o = disease

5. WORD PARTS (con ‘t) SUFFIXES SUFFIXES Word Endings Word Endings Adds information or modifies root Adds information or modifies root Examples: Examples: Logy = study of Logy = study of Cardiology = study of the heart Cardiology = study of the heart Ac = pertaining to Ac = pertaining to Cardiac = pertaining to the heart Cardiac = pertaining to the heart Itis = inflammation Itis = inflammation Carditis = Inflammation of the heart Carditis = Inflammation of the heart Megaly = enlargement Megaly = enlargement Cardiomegaly = enlarged heart Cardiomegaly = enlarged heart

6. WORD PARTS (con’t) WORD PARTS (con’t) PREFIXES PREFIXES Small word before the root. Pre= before Small word before the root. Pre= before Not all terms have prefixes Not all terms have prefixes Modifies the root Modifies the root Examples Examples Hyper = Excessive, increased Hyper = Excessive, increased Hypo = Less, decreased Hypo = Less, decreased Bi = two or both Bi = two or both Anti = against Anti = against Post = after Post = after A=no, not, without A=no, not, without Sub = under Sub = under Trans = across Trans = across

7. COMBINING PARTS TO FORM WORDS 4 Standard ways: 4 Standard ways: Root or combining form Root or combining form Phleb/o =vein Phleb/o =vein Above + additional root or combining form Above + additional root or combining form Thrombophleb/o = clot in a vein Thrombophleb/o = clot in a vein Above + Suffix Above + Suffix Thrombophlebitis = inflammation of a vein with clotting Thrombophlebitis = inflammation of a vein with clotting Prefix + above Prefix + above Postthrombophebitis = after inflammation of a vein with clotting (recovery) Postthrombophebitis = after inflammation of a vein with clotting (recovery)

8. GENERAL RULES Read the meaning of the medical term from the suffix, back to the beginning of the term and then across Read the meaning of the medical term from the suffix, back to the beginning of the term and then across Drop the combining vowel before a suffix beginning with a vowel. Drop the combining vowel before a suffix beginning with a vowel. Gastritis, not ‘gastroitis’ Gastritis, not ‘gastroitis’ Keep the combining vowel before a suffix beginning with a consonant Keep the combining vowel before a suffix beginning with a consonant Cardiology, not cardilogy Cardiology, not cardilogy Keep the combining form between two roots Keep the combining form between two roots Electrocardiogram Electrocardiogram Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis

9. PRONUNCIATION General Rules: General Rules: Only the s sound in ps is pronounced Only the s sound in ps is pronounced Pseudomonas Pseudomonas g and c assume the soft sounds of j and s when used before e, i and y g and c assume the soft sounds of j and s when used before e, i and y Examples: gene, gingivitis, cycle, cytology Examples: gene, gingivitis, cycle, cytology g and c have a hard sound in front of other letters g and c have a hard sound in front of other letters Examples: cardiac, gastric, cornea, Examples: cardiac, gastric, cornea, Only the n sound in pn is pronounced Only the n sound in pn is pronounced Pneumonia Pneumonia Review pronunciation key in text Review pronunciation key in text

10. PLURALS AND ADJECTIVES Plurals can be confusing. Plurals can be confusing. General rules: General rules: If term ends in an ‘a’, drop ‘a’ and add ‘ae’ If term ends in an ‘a’, drop ‘a’ and add ‘ae’ vertebra, vertebrae vertebra, vertebrae If term ends in ‘is’, drop ‘is’ and add ‘es’ If term ends in ‘is’, drop ‘is’ and add ‘es’ Diagnosis, diagnoses Diagnosis, diagnoses If term ends in ‘y’, drop the ‘y’ and add ‘ies’ If term ends in ‘y’, drop the ‘y’ and add ‘ies’ Therapy, therapies Therapy, therapies If term ends in ‘um’, drop the ‘um’ and add an ‘a’ If term ends in ‘um’, drop the ‘um’ and add an ‘a’ Bacterium, bacteria Bacterium, bacteria

11. ABBREVIATIONS & SYMBOLS Review common charting abbreviations and symbols in text Review common charting abbreviations and symbols in text Symbols – Symbols – Increasing, decreasing Increasing, decreasing Male, female Male, female Memorization required Memorization required Each facility/hospital has their own approved abbreviations list. Each facility/hospital has their own approved abbreviations list.

12. ACRONYMS Are abbreviations formed from the first letter of each word in a phrase. Are abbreviations formed from the first letter of each word in a phrase. Very commonly used in health care Very commonly used in health care Examples: Examples: ATM, UPS – commonly used in everyday life ATM, UPS – commonly used in everyday life ASAP ASAP VS VS BP BP SOB SOB