§ 23-17.17-2 - Definitions.
SECTION 23-17.17-2
§ 23-17.17-2 Definitions. – (a) "Clinical outcomes" means information about the results of patient care andtreatment.
(b) "Director" means the director of the department of healthor his or her duly authorized agent.
(c) "Health care facility" has the same meaning as containedin the regulations promulgated by the director of health pursuant to chapter 17of this title.
(d) "Health care provider" means any physician, or otherlicensed practitioners with responsibility for the care, treatment, andservices rendered to a patient.
(e) "Hospital-acquired infection" means a localized orsystemic condition: (1) that results from adverse reaction to the presence ofan infectious agent(s) or its toxin(s); and (2) may include infections notpresent or exhibiting signs and symptoms at the time of admission to thehospital as determined by the department with recommendations from the healthcare quality steering committee with advice from the hospital acquiredinfections and prevention advisory committee.
(f) "Insurer" means any entity subject to the insurance lawsand regulations of this state, that contracts or offers to contract to provide,deliver, arrange for, pay for, or reimburse any of the costs of health careservices, including, without limitation, an insurance company offering accidentand sickness insurance, a health maintenance organization, as defined by §27-41-1, a nonprofit hospital or medical service corporation, as defined bychapters 27-19 and 27-20, or any other entity providing a plan of healthinsurance or health benefits.
(g) "Patient satisfaction" means the degree to which thefacility or provider meets or exceeds the patients' expectations as perceivedby the patient by focusing on those aspects of care that the patient can judge.
(h) "Performance measure" means a quantitative tool thatprovides an indication of an organization's performance in relation to aspecified process or outcome.
(i) "Quality of care" means the result or outcome of healthcare efforts.
(j) "Reporting program" means an objective feedback mechanismregarding individual or facility performance that can be used internally tosupport performance improvement activities and externally to demonstrateaccountability to the public and other purchasers, payers, and stakeholders.
(k) "Risk-adjusted" means the use of statistically validtechniques to account for patient variables that may include, but need not tobe limited to, age, chronic disease history, and physiologic data.