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| Hospital | A health care facility licensed by a province or territory to provide health care services on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. |
| Inpatient Service | Hospital service provided to a patient who is admitted to the hospital. |
| Outpatient Service | Hospital service provided to a patient who is not admitted overnight. |
| Basic Hospital Functions | Providing diagnosis and care, promoting health and disease prevention, meeting community needs, and supporting research and education. |
| Public Health Care Facility | A health care facility operated and funded by a provincial, territorial, or federal government. |
| Private For-Profit Facility | A privately operated facility that may provide selected health services, sometimes through public funding agreements. |
| Community Surgical and Diagnostic Centre | A private for-profit facility that may provide selected low-risk day surgeries or diagnostic procedures outside a traditional hospital setting. |
| Facility Fee | An additional fee that may be charged by a facility for services or enhanced products not considered medically necessary. |
| Global Funding | A hospital funding model where the hospital receives a fixed amount of money for a designated time frame. |
| Activity-Based Funding (ABF) | A hospital funding model where payment is based on each patient admitted and treated, considering service volume and complexity. |
| Public-Private Partnership (P3) | A collaborative arrangement where the public and private sectors develop, finance, construct, and often operate a hospital while clinical services remain within the public system. |
| General Hospital | A hospital that provides a range of medical, surgical, obstetric, and psychiatric services on inpatient and outpatient bases. |
| Acute-Care Hospital | A hospital where most beds are used for serious illnesses or conditions expected to run a short course. |
| Teaching Hospital | A hospital affiliated with a university that provides educational opportunities for health professionals. |
| Convalescent Hospital | A facility providing recuperative care to patients expected to recover and return home or to another community placement. |
| Chronic Care/Continuing Care Facility | A facility providing continuing, medically complex, or specialized services for patients with chronic illness or functional disability who do not need acute care. |
| Long-Term Care Home / Nursing Home | A long-term care facility that provides continuous nursing and medical care for chronically ill or incapacitated residents who cannot be maintained at home. |
| Retirement Home | A housing option for people who can live independently or semi-independently, sometimes with optional support services. |
| Mental Health Centre | A specialized facility providing assessment, treatment, management, and rehabilitation for people with mental health disorders. |
| Addiction Treatment Centre | A facility offering rehabilitative care for people experiencing drug or alcohol addiction. |
| Rehabilitation Hospital | A facility focused on helping patients regain physical or cognitive function after illness, injury, or surgery. |
| Hospice | A specialized facility providing palliative care and support to patients with life-limiting disease and their families. |
| Palliative Care | Care focused on relieving suffering and improving quality of life for people with life-limiting disease. |
| Primary Care Hospital | A community-based hospital offering basic care, health promotion, and illness prevention. |
| Secondary Care Hospital | A hospital that offers specialist services. |
| Tertiary Care Hospital | A hospital offering highly specialized skills, technology, and support services, often in larger centres. |
| Accreditation | The process of granting recognition to a facility for meeting pre-set standards related to patient care and services. |
| Accreditation Canada | An independent not-for-profit organization that provides accreditation services and external peer review for health service organizations. |
| Health Standards Organization | A not-for-profit organization that develops and implements health standards in Canada. |
| Quality of Care | A standard considered during accreditation that reflects the level and effectiveness of patient care provided. |
| Community Accessibility | An accreditation area considering whether services are accessible to the community. |
| Appropriateness of Care | An accreditation area considering whether an intervention meets the patient's needs. |
| Effectiveness of Care | An accreditation area considering whether care achieves the intended results. |
| Timeliness | An accreditation area considering whether care is provided within an appropriate timeframe. |
| Continuity of Care | An accreditation area considering whether follow-up is provided and care is modified when needed. |
| Patient Safety | Protection of patients from harm through safe practices, procedures, and environments. |
| Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) | Policies and procedures used to prevent and control infection in health care settings. |
| Hospital Corporation | A hospital organized as a corporation under provincial or territorial legislation. |
| Board of Directors | The governing body responsible for oversight of a hospital corporation. |
| Chief Executive Officer (CEO) | The senior executive accountable to the board and responsible for overall management of the hospital. |
| Vice-President | A senior leader who may report to the CEO, chair, president, or executive vice-president. |
| Site Administrator | A leader who may oversee daily operations at a hospital within a partnership. |
| Clinical Administrator | A leader who may oversee clinical operations at a hospital site. |
| Chief of Staff | The person who represents the hospital's medical staff. |
| Clinical Leader | A leadership role responsible for administrative, supervisory, and clinical oversight of a unit or group of units. |
| Clinical Manager | A manager responsible for unit operations, staff direction, budgeting, and standards of care. |
| Charge Nurse / Clinical Resource Nurse | A nurse who coordinates a unit during a shift and serves as a close point of contact for the clinical secretary. |
| Home Care | Care received in the home, such as nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, or support with daily needs. |
| Community Care | Support services available in the community, such as transportation, Meals on Wheels, respite care, mental health support, or day programs. |
| Same-Day Surgery /Admitted Same Day (ASD) | A procedure where the patient is admitted and discharged on the same day. |
| Hospital Restructuring | Changes to hospital services, partnerships, beds, governance, or operations to improve efficiency and manage limited resources. |
| Rationalization of Services | Centralizing specialized services at selected hospitals to reduce duplication. |
| Subacute Care | Care for patients who need less intensive medical or nursing care than acute hospital care. |
| Transitional Care | Interim care for patients waiting for another placement or level of care. |
| Step-Down Care | Care that is less intensive than acute hospital care but still provides support before discharge or transfer. |
| Lean Methodology | An efficiency approach focused on maximizing patient value while minimizing waste. |
| Hospital Department | A hospital division organized according to the services it provides, such as administrative, informational, therapeutic, diagnostic, or supportive services. |
| Admitting Department | The department that processes patient admissions, tracks admissions and discharges, and supports patient placement. |
| Patient Flow | A function or department that helps coordinate access to hospital beds and services. |
| Daily Census | A count of admissions, transfers, and discharges recorded for hospital units. |
| Business Office | The department that manages billing, patient accounts, insurance billing, and collection of patient payments. |
| Patient Accounts | Another name for the business office responsible for patient-related financial information. |
| Public Relations Department | The department responsible for community liaison, publicity, and support for fundraising or public communications. |
| Human Resources (HR) / People and Culture (P&C) | The department responsible for recruitment, employee services, benefits, leaves, transfers, training, and related employee matters. |
| Health Records Department | The department responsible for managing and maintaining hospital health records and information. |
| Health Information Management (HIM) | The department or profession responsible for health records, transcription, coding, abstraction, statistics, chart completion, scanning, filing, and release of information. |
| Supply Chain Management | The department responsible for acquiring, distributing, controlling, and disposing of products, materials, services, and equipment. |
| Procurement | The process of acquiring products, materials, services, and equipment needed for hospital operations. |
| Information Services | The department responsible for communication systems, computer services, and technology education within the hospital. |
| Volunteer / Auxilliary Services | The department that recruits, screens, trains, places, and supports volunteers. |
| Employee Health Services | The department responsible for employee medical needs, immunizations, work-related injuries, and workers' compensation referrals. |
| Risk Management | A department or function involved in identifying and managing risks, including infection control concerns. |
| Pharmacy Department | The department responsible for ordering, storing, dispensing medications, interpreting medication orders, and providing drug information. |
| Medication Administration Record (MAR) | A record generated or maintained to show medication orders and administration details. |
| Nutritional / Dietary Services | The department responsible for patient meals, special diets, nutrition orders, and dietary counselling. |
| Sterile Processing Department (SPD) | The department that sterilizes and distributes sterile equipment and instruments. |
| Central Supply | A department that provides supplies and equipment, usually sterile, for patient-care areas. |
| Materials Management | A department that provides equipment and supplies not requiring sterilization. |
| Environmental Services / Housekeeping | The department responsible for cleaning, disinfecting, waste handling, and maintaining a sanitary hospital environment. |
| Terminal Cleaning | Thorough cleaning of a patient room after discharge or when required by infection control procedures. |
| Laundry Department | The department responsible for supplying clean linen and managing contaminated or used laundry. |
| Maintenance Department / Environmental Engineering | The department responsible for repairs and keeping equipment and the physical building safe and operational. |
| Patient-Care Unit | A dedicated inpatient area, often an entire floor, where patients receive similar types of care. |
| Medical Unit | A unit where patients are admitted for diagnosis, nonsurgical treatment, and recovery from diseases or conditions. |
| Nephrology Unit | A unit caring for patients with kidney diseases and disorders. |
| Cardiology Unit | A unit treating conditions related to the heart and vascular system. |
| Telemetry | Cardiac monitoring for patients with heart rhythm concerns or related conditions. |
| Neurology Unit | A unit providing nonsurgical treatment for diseases of the nervous system. |
| Palliative Care Unit | A unit focused on symptom management, quality of life, and support for patients with serious or life-limiting illness. |
| Psychiatry Unit | A unit providing care for people with mental or emotional conditions. |
| Oncology Unit | A unit specializing in cancer diagnosis, treatment, and management. |
| Rehabilitation Unit | A unit where patients recover function after stroke, trauma, surgery, or illness. |
| Pediatric Unit | A unit providing care for children, with age limits varying by facility. |
| Gynecology Unit | A unit providing care for conditions related to the female reproductive system. |
| Integrated Maternal/Child Services | A unit combining labour, delivery, recovery, and related maternal-child care. |
| LDR Room | A room used for labour, delivery, and recovery after childbirth. |
| Traditional Medical Services | Health services grounded in Indigenous beliefs, culture, traditional healing methods, and traditional medicines. |
| Surgical Unit | A patient-care unit for patients preparing for or recovering from surgery. |
| General Surgery Unit | A surgical unit caring for patients recovering from a variety of surgeries. |
| Cardiac Surgery Unit | A unit caring for patients who have had heart or vascular surgery. |
| Orthopedic Surgery Unit | A unit caring for patients after musculoskeletal procedures such as hip, knee, or spinal surgery. |
| Thoracic Surgery Unit | A unit caring for patients after surgery of the chest or respiratory system. |
| Neurosurgery Unit | A unit caring for patients after surgery on the brain, spinal cord, or nervous system. |
| Post-Anesthetic Care Area (PACA) | The recovery area where patients are monitored after surgery until stable. |
| GI Unit | A unit caring for patients with gastrointestinal surgery or digestive tract concerns. |
| Endoscopy Unit | An area where patients receive endoscopy procedures, often as outpatients. |
| Ophthalmology Unit | A unit or service specializing in procedures related to the eye. |
| Vascular Surgery Unit | Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/ Critical Care Unit (CCU)+111:113 |
| Urology Unit | A unit caring for patients after procedures involving the urinary system. |
| Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/ Critical Care Unit (CCU) | A unit providing specialized intensive treatment and nursing care for critically ill patients. |
| NICU | Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. |
| CICU | Coronary Intensive Care Unit. |
| Emergency Department (ED/ER) | A hospital unit providing urgent or emergency care for acute injuries, severe illness, or urgent medical conditions. |
| Trauma Centre | A specialized emergency facility equipped to manage severely injured patients with specialized teams and resources. |
| Outpatient Clinic | A hospital clinic where patients receive scheduled care, diagnosis, or treatment without being admitted. |
| Renal Dialysis | A service that filters waste from the blood for patients with advanced or nonfunctioning kidneys. |
| Diagnostic Imaging | A department providing imaging services such as ultrasound, MRI, CT, nuclear medicine, fluoroscopy, mammography, and interventional radiology. |
| Laboratory Services | A department providing tests and services in areas such as chemistry, hematology, blood bank, microbiology, pathology, histology, and cytology. |
| Physiotherapy | A service that supports rehabilitation and recovery after illness, injury, surgery, or trauma. |
| Speech Therapy | A service providing treatment for speech disorders and sometimes swallowing assessments. |
| Occupational Therapy | A service supporting function, cognitive assessment, splints, supports, and therapeutic or recreational activities. |
| Social Services | A department that helps patients and families plan community supports, placement, counselling, and discharge needs. |
| Physician | A provider who directs or participates in patient care, including hospital-based or community-based care. |
| Admitting Privileges | Permission for a provider to admit patients to a hospital and participate in their treatment. |
| Credentialling | The process of reviewing a provider's qualifications before granting hospital privileges. |
| Hospitalist | A physician who specializes in caring for hospitalized patients in an acute-care hospital. |
| Registered Nurse (RN / BScN) | A regulated nursing professional with a broad scope of practice who provides patient care in hospitals. |
| Registered Psychiatric Nurse | A nursing professional who provides mental health nursing services in mental health facilities and the community. |
| Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) / Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) | A regulated nursing professional with a scope of practice more limited than an RN, but with expanding responsibilities. |
| Nurse Practitioner (NP) | An advanced practice nurse who can assess, prescribe, order tests, refer, and manage patient care within their scope. |
| Personal Support Worker (PSW) | A support worker who assists with personal care and support tasks, often in long-term care, community care, or hospital settings. |
| Paramedic | A first responder who provides emergency treatment and may work with emergency departments. |
| Team Attendant / Porter | A support worker who may escort patients, transport equipment, assist with lifting, and support indirect patient care tasks. |
| Pharmacist | A health professional who manages medications, provides drug information, and supports medication-related care. |
| Physiotherapist (PT) | A health professional who supports movement, mobility, rehabilitation, and recovery. |
| Respiratory Therapist (RT) | A health professional who supports breathing-related care, oxygen therapy, respirators, blood gases, and respiratory emergencies. |
| Medical Laboratory Technologist | A laboratory professional who performs laboratory testing in areas such as chemistry, microbiology, histology, or hematology. |
| Registered Dietician | A health professional who provides nutrition counselling, dietary education, and support for nutrition-related care. |
| Environmental Services Associate | A hospital worker responsible for cleanliness, hygiene, disinfection, waste handling, and room cleaning. |
| Clinical Secretary / Unit Clerk | A hospital unit administrative professional who supports clerical, communication, coordination, and patient-care unit operations. |
| Scope of Practice | The boundaries of a person's responsibilities based on job description, training, regulation, or facility policy. |
| Admission | The process of entering a patient into hospital care. |
| Discharge | The process of releasing a patient from hospital care. |
| Transfer | The movement of a patient within a hospital or to another facility. |
| Bed Flow | The coordination of admissions, discharges, transfers, and bed availability. |
| Electronic Chart / eChart | A patient's electronic hospital record. |
| Paper Chart / pChart | A physical paper patient chart used alongside or instead of electronic records. |
| Medical Record Publishing | Accessing, uploading, downloading, or preparing patient files and reports according to policy. |
| Professional Consultation Request | A request for another provider or specialist to assess or advise on a patient's care. |
| Specimen Pickup | Coordinating pickup and delivery of lab specimens as required. |
| Staff Timekeeping | Maintaining staff hours and submitting or entering time information into payroll systems. |
| Inventory Management | Tracking, ordering, and managing unit supplies. |
| Maintenance Requisition | A request submitted to maintenance for repair of broken equipment or facility issues. |
| Transfer Ticket | A travel document replacing some chart components and staying with the patient during transfer. |
| Communication Hub | The central point for incoming and outgoing unit communication, often the clinical secretary or nurses' station. |
| Intercom Call | A patient or unit call made through the internal communication system. |
| Cross-Coverage | Managing or covering another unit, or multiple units, when staffing or workload requires it. |
| Stat Order | An urgent order requiring immediate attention or action. |
| NPO | Nothing by mouth. |
| eMAR | Electronic Medication Administration Record. |
| RTC Plan | Return-to-clinic plan. |
| Nursing Station | Another term for the nurses' station. |
| Mobile Phone Management | Keeping unit mobile phones charged, organized, distributed, and tracked. |
| Stationery Supplies | Office supplies at the nurses' station that the clinical secretary keeps organized and stocked. |
| Treatment Room | A room where examinations or minor procedures can be performed on the unit. |
| Clean Utility Room | A room storing clean supplies such as dressings, catheters, IV supplies, nasogastric tubes, and procedure trays. |
| Dirty Utility Room | A room for used equipment, soiled supplies, dirty linen, and items requiring cleaning, disposal, or return to sterile processing. |
| Soiled Utility Room | Another term for the dirty utility room. |
| Bedpan Hopper | An automatic unit for disposal of waste and sanitization of bedpans. |
| Medication Room | A locked area near the nurses' station where some medications, IV solutions, and dispensing units may be kept. |
| Automatic Dispensing Unit (ADU/ADC) | A locked medication dispensing system used on patient-care units. |
| Workstation on Wheels (WOW) | A computerized mobile workstation that provides access to electronic charts and supports point-of-care documentation. |
| Storage Room | A unit room used to store equipment and larger supplies such as wheelchairs, IV poles, stretchers, and supply carts. |
| Conference Room | A room used for team conferences, meetings, patient interviews, or confidential shift reports. |
| Communication Room | A room that may support confidential meetings, dictation, charting, or team communication. |
| Kitchen | A unit area used to store patient food, drinks, or special snacks. |
| Computer Room | A room with computer stations used for charting, documentation, or related work. |
| Dictation Room | A confidential area where physicians may dictate notes and reports. |
| Waiting Room | A space where visitors or ambulatory patients may wait or sit. |
| Reception Room | A waiting or reception area for visitors and patients on a unit. |
| Patient Teaching Room | A room used for education sessions, such as preadmission or postoperative teaching. |
| Housekeeping Supply Room | A room where housekeeping staff store cleaning supplies. |
| Dumbwaiter | A small lift used to move labelled items between hospital areas. |
| Telephone | A key communication device used frequently at the nurses' station. |
| Wireless Phone | A mobile phone used by nurses for unit communication and call-bell alerts. |
| Overhead Paging System / PA System | A hospital-wide announcement system often used for emergency codes and alerts. |
| Switchboard | The internal communication centre contacted to announce codes or connect calls. |
| Pager | A device used to contact staff or notify people waiting in hospital areas. |
| Locating System | A system that flashes a code or contacts a physician or staff member to prompt a response. |
| Unit Intercom | A patient-to-staff communication system with call points beside beds or in bathrooms. |
| Call Bell | A patient call system that alerts staff when assistance is needed. |
| Hospital Information System (HIS) | A software system used to manage hospital operations and patient information. |
| Patient-Care Information System (PCI) | A software system used to manage patient-care information in a hospital. |
| Electronic Health Record Management | Using electronic systems to manage patient health information. |
| Computerized Provider (or Physician) Order Entry (CPOE) | Software that automates the entry and processing of provider orders. |
| Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) | A system used to store and access medical images. |
| Laboratory Information System (LIS) | A system used to manage laboratory processes and information. |
| Pharmacy Information System | A system used to support medication management and pharmacy workflows. |
| Radiology Information System (RIS) | A system used to support radiology department workflows. |
| Hybrid EHR System | A hospital electronic record system customized to the facility's needs, departments, and patient-care requirements. |
| Pneumatic Tube System | A system of tubes that transports paper items or forms in cylindrical containers between hospital departments. |
| Confidentiality | The responsibility to protect patient and hospital information and share it only when authorized. |
| Electronic Medical Record (EMR) | An electronic record containing patient health information that must be protected from unauthorized access. |
| Cybersecurity | Protection of computer systems and information from threats such as hacking, phishing, ransomware, and data breaches. |
| Phishing | A fraudulent message designed to trick users into revealing information or compromising a computer system. |
| Password Safeguarding | Keeping passwords and encrypted digital signatures confidential and not sharing them. |
| Authorized Access | Permission to access specific information according to role, policy, and need. |
| Unauthorized Individual | A person who does not have permission to view or access patient information. |
| Computer Screen Privacy | Positioning screens and keyboards so others cannot view confidential information. |
| Screensaver | A computer feature that should activate when a terminal is idle to help protect confidential information. |
| Logout | Signing out of a computer system when leaving the workstation. |
| Secure Backup | Properly and securely backing up files and information. |
| Encryption | Protecting electronic files or messages so confidential information cannot be read by unauthorized users. |
| Release of Medical Information | Sharing medical information only according to legal guidelines and agency policy. |
| Security of Patient Information | Protecting patient health status, progress, written notes, reports, and records from unauthorized disclosure. |
| Designated Caller | A specific person authorized to receive patient information, sometimes identified by a code. |
| Express Consent | Clear permission from the patient to release or share information. |
| Shredding | A secure method of destroying paper documents containing patient information. |
| Security Policy | Facility policy outlining procedures for safety, emergency response, identification, access, and information protection. |
| Emergency Preparedness | Planning, training, and drills used to prepare hospital staff for disasters or emergencies. |
| Disaster Plan | A hospital plan for responding to internal or external threats, disasters, or emergencies. |
| Emergency Code | A colour-coded alert used to notify staff of a hospital emergency. |
| Code Red | Fire. |
| Code White | Violent or aggressive patient or visitor. |
| Code Green | Evacuation. |
| Code Orange | External disaster, lockdown, or limited access. |
| Code Brown | Hazardous chemical spill. |
| Code Blue | Cardiac arrest or adult medical emergency. |
| Code Pink | Pediatric cardiac arrest or medical emergency. |
| Code Yellow | Missing patient (A patient whose location is unknown and who may require a search and emergency response.) |
| Code Black | Bomb threat or suspicious object/package. |
| Code Grey | Critical infrastructure failure or evacuation of the facility. |
| Missing Patient | A patient whose location is unknown and who may require a search and emergency response. |
| Waiver for Leaving Hospital | A form a patient may be asked to sign when leaving without provider permission, accepting responsibility for health status. |
| Identification Tag | A photo ID tag that hospital staff are generally required to wear. |
| Secure Unit | A hospital unit with restricted access, such as some psychiatric or maternal-child units. |
| Visitor Identification | The process of asking unknown visitors for identification and purpose before granting access. |
| IT Security | Protection of hospital information technology systems from ransomware, phishing, and data breaches. |
| Otoscope/Ophthalmoscope | Instrument used to examine the ear and eye; kept at the nursing station and must be checked at the beginning of each shift for charged batteries |
