Institute:Office of National Coordinator (ONC) Workforce Training Curriculum
Component:The Culture of Health Care
Unit:Health Professionals The People in Health Care
Lecture:Introduction and Physicians
Non-clinical IT/Informatics Roles for Clinicians
Effects of Changing Care Models on Clinicians
Slide content:Terminology Continued 2 Disease: An impairment of a specific structure or function of the body that produces symptoms and physical findings; usually attributable to a specific cause, such as a specific type of bacteria causing pneumonia Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and physical findings not easily attributable to a specific cause. An example is carpal tunnel syndrome, which is pain, burning, and numbness in the hand 6
Slide notes:A disease is an impairment of a specific structure or function of the body, which produces symptoms or physical findings. Symptoms are part of the story patients tell about their illness, including specific complaints such as the location of the pain, how often the pain occurs, and the duration of the pain. Physical findings are what the physician or other health professional determines by observation and physical examination. For example, a physician may observe swelling in the ankle and determine the area of most tenderness using maneuvers that increase or lessen the pain. Diseases usually have a specific cause. For example, bacterial pneumonia is caused by a specific type of bacteria. A syndrome is a combination of symptoms and physical findings not easily attributable to a specific cause. An example of a syndrome is carpal tunnel syndrome, which causes pain, burning, and numbness in the hand. 6