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Glossary:
Home Health Aide (HHA)
A home health aide provides health-related services to persons in the home and is certified by the New York State Department of Health. Home health aides receive careful training in such areas as working with immobile patients, monitoring a patient’s temperature and pulse rate and preventing infections. By law, HHA’s are not permitted to place a medication in a patient’s mouth, but they can count out and place medications in a patient’s hand. They can also help with household activities, such as grocery shopping and laundry.
Home Health Care
A full range of nursing, rehabilitation therapy, social work and home health aide services offered by a provider in a patient’s home.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA)
HIPAA is a federal law designed to protect patients' medical records and other health information that is provided to health plans, doctors, hospitals and other health care providers. Developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, these new standards give patients access to their medical records and more control over how their personal health information is used and disclosed.
High Blood Pressure (hypertension)
Hypertension occurs when blood pressure consistently exceeds 140 (systolic pressure) over 90 (diastolic pressure) mmHg or millimeters of mercury. Systolic pressure is created when your heart beats and diastolic pressure is the pressure inside the arteries when the heart is at rest. Chronic hypertension increases a person’s risk of heart attack and stroke.