Acronyms and Glossary

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Acronyms

AHMAC	Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council
AHMC	Australian Health Ministers’ Conference
AIDS	Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
AIHW	Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
APEC	Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
COAG	Council of Australian Governments
FIFA	Federation Internationale de Football Association
GP	General Practice or General Practitioner
GST	Goods and Services Tax
HIV	Human Immunodeficiency Virus
NHMRC	National Health and Medical Research Council
OECD	Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
PBS	Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
WHO	World Health Organization

Glossary

Acute care	Short-term medical treatment, usually in a hospital, for patients with an acute illness or injury, or recovering from surgery. Acute illness/injury is one that is severe in its effect or approaching crisis point, for example acute appendicitis.
Allied health	A group of medically-prescribed health care services, such as occupational therapy, speech pathology and physical therapy, provided by licensed professionals.
Antenatal	The period prior to birth.
Antimicrobial	Destroying or inhibiting the multiplication and growth of micro-organisms such as bacteria or fungi.
Biological	A medicine made from living organisms and their products, such as a serum or a vaccine.
Bio-statistics	The application of statistics to biology, medicine, nursing, and other health related professions.
Blood Borne Viruses	Viruses that are transmitted through contact between infected blood and uninfected blood.
Chlamydial infection	Chlamydia is a tiny bacteria that causes an infection in the genital area. It is a sexually transmissible infection.
Chronic disease	The term applied to a diverse group of diseases, such as heart disease, cancer and arthritis (to name a few), that tend to be long-lasting and persistent in their symptoms or development. Although these features also apply to some communicable diseases (infections), the general term chronic diseases is usually confined to non-communicable diseases.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	Long term lung diseases marked by worsening shortness of breath that is not reversible, and an abnormal inflammatory response to noxious particles or gases. For example, emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Computed Tomography scan	An imaging method that uses computer processing to generate an image of tissue density in a ‘slice’ through the body. The images are spaced at 5 to 10 mm intervals allowing an anatomical cross-section of the body to be constructed.
Community Service Obligation	A Community Service Obligation arises when a government specifically requires a public enterprise to carry out activities relating to outputs or inputs which it would not elect to do on a commercial basis, and which the government does not require other businesses in the public or private sectors to generally undertake, or which it would only do commercially at higher prices.
Dementia	Dementia is an umbrella term that refers to symptoms caused by changes in the functioning of the brain. These can include alterations in memory, personality and behaviour. A person with dementia may find it hard to do previously familiar tasks, such as writing, reading, showering and using numbers.
Diabetes	Refers to a group of syndromes caused by a malfunction in the production and release of insulin by the pancreas leading to a disturbance in blood glucose levels. Type 1 diabetes is characterised by the abrupt onset of symptoms, usually during childhood; and inadequate production of insulin requiring regular injections to regulate insulin levels. Type 2 diabetes is characterised by gradual onset commonly between 50 and 60 years old; and is usually able to be regulated through dietary control.
Dose administration aid	A device developed to assist patients in better managing their medicines by arranging their medicines into individual doses according to the prescribed dose schedule throughout the day.
Ecstasy	A synthetic hallucinogenic and euphoric drug, used illicitly as a stimulant.
Electrocardiogram machine	A device used to produce an image representing a record of the heart’s electrical action.
Epidemiology	The study of the determinants (risk factors) and distribution of disease among populations.
Epidermolysis Bullosa	Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) is a rare genetic disease that primarily affects children and is characterised by extremely fragile and blister prone skin.
Fabry disease	Fabry disease is a disorder caused by an enzyme deficiency. Patients with this disorder suffer in childhood from severe pains in hands and feet and develop multi-system complications later in life, such as renal failure and cardiovascular complications.
Faecal occult blood test	A test that detects tiny amounts of blood, often released from bowel cancers or their precursors (polyps or adenomas) into the bowel motion.
Gaucher disease	Gaucher disease is a rare condition caused by the inherited deficiency of an enzyme, glucocerebrosidase, which is required for the breakdown of a specialised lipid called glucocerebroside. Symptoms may include enlarged spleen and liver, liver malfunction, skeletal disorders and bone lesions, and severe neurologic complications.
Generic	When referring to a drug, ‘generic’ means not covered by a trademark; where a drug is marketed under its chemical name without advertising.
Gene technology	Gene technology is any technique for the modification of genes or other genetic material, but does not include sexual reproduction or DNA crossover.
Gonorrhoea	Gonorrhoea (or Neisseria gonorrhoeae) is a bacteria that causes an infection in the genital area. It is spread by sexual contact.
Haemophilia	Haemophilia is an inherited disorder of blood clotting in which one of the essential clotting factors is deficient. The deficiency in clotting factor produces a wide range of bleeding episodes, usually into the joints or muscles.
Herceptin®	A drug used in the late stages of breast cancer.
Hepatitis C	Hepatitis C is a blood borne viral disease that can result in serious liver disease such as cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. Hepatitis C is transmitted through blood to blood contact.
Individual Health Identifiers	The information technology services that will enable the unique identification of each individual consumer of health care in Australia to: increase the integrity of identification of electronic health information records and communications; and enable accurate retrieval, discovery and recording of health information.
Infantile-onset Pompe disease	Infantile-onset Pompe disease patients are deficient in an enzyme (acid alpha-glucosidase) required for the breakdown of glycogen (a form of starch) in the cells of the body. As excess glycogen continues to accumulate, it interferes with normal cell function and causes continuous damage to cells, resulting in worsening muscle weakness that can affect movement, breathing, and, in infants, heart function.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging	A non-invasive nuclear medicine technology that uses strong magnetic fields and radio frequency pulses to generate sectional images of the body. It is especially useful for imaging tissues of high fat and water content that cannot be seen using other diagnostic imaging techniques. The image gives information about the chemical makeup of the tissues, allowing, for example, normal and cancerous tissues to be distinguished.
Mammographic screening	An X-ray of the breast. May be used to assess a breast lump or as a screening test in women with no evidence of cancer.
Memorandum of Understanding	A written but noncontractual agreement between two or more agencies or other parties to take a certain course of action
Meningococcal disease	Meningococcal disease is a severe but uncommon infection that occurs when meningococcal bacteria invade the body from the throat or nose. These bacteria can cause meningitis (an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord) and septicaemia (an infection in the bloodstream). The infection can develop quickly and may cause serious illness or death.
Methamphetamine	A drug that stimulates the central nervous system.
Mucopolysaccharide (MPS)	A group of genetic disorders causing a defect in metabolism of mucopolysaccharides, marked by skeletal changes, mental retardation, and corneal clouding. Type II: Caused by deficiency of Iduronate-2-Sulfatase (an enzyme). It has slow progression and less severity of symptoms; as well as lack of corneal clouding. Also known as Hunter Syndrome. Type VI: Caused by deficiency of arylsulfatase B (an enzyme). It is characterised by symptoms of varying severity, with normal intelligence. Also known as Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome.
Naglazyme®	A drug used for the treatment of Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome (MPS Type VI – see above) by replacing the absent or deficient enzyme. Elaprase® is a purified form of the human enzyme, produced by recombinant DNA technology.
Nanomaterial	Materials with features smaller than one tenth of a micrometre.
Nurse practitioner	A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse educated to function autonomously and collaboratively in an advanced and extended clinical role.
Oncology	The study, knowledge and treatment of cancer and tumours.
Osteoporosis	Osteoporosis means ‘porous bones’ and is a disease where bone density and structural quality deteriorate, leading to an increased risk of fracture.
Otitis media	Inflammation of the middle ear.
Outcomes	Outcomes, as used in the Australian Government’s Outcomes and Programs Framework, are the intended or proposed results, consequences or impacts of government actions on the Australian community.
Paget’s disease of bone	Paget’s disease of bone is a disorder of the bone in which the normal maintenance system that keeps bones healthy breaks down.
Palliative care	Care given to a patient with an active, progressive and far-advanced disease, with little or no prospect of cure. The aim of palliative care is to achieve the best possible quality of life for the individual patient, their carers and family.
Pandemic	An epidemic affecting a wide geographic area.
Papillomavirus	A DNA-based virus that infects the skin and mucous membranes of humans and a variety of animals.
Pathology services	The study and diagnosis of disease through the examination of organs, tissues, cells and bodily fluids. Pathology services provide a range of important diagnostic support services to help hospital staff and general practitioners diagnose and treat diseases and other medical conditions.
Perfluorinated chemical	An inert chemical substance with a high oxygen carrying capacity that has been emulsified with surfactants and transfused to temporarily transport oxygen in the blood.
Performance Indicators	Indicators which are used to measure agency effectiveness in achieving the Government’s objectives.
Perinatal	Relating to the period shortly before and after birth.
Pneumococcal disease	A potentially fatal type of bacterial inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, seen most often in young children and the elderly.
Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements	Statements prepared by portfolios to explain the Additional Estimates Budget appropriations in terms of outcomes and programs.
Portfolio Budget Statements	Statements prepared by portfolios to explain the Budget appropriations in terms of outcomes and programs.
Positron Emission Tomography	A nuclear medicine technology that uses short-lived radioisotopes to enable the non-invasive imaging of metabolic functions within the body. The technology’s main application is in the staging of various cancers and the monitoring of cancer therapies.
Postnatal	The period immediately after birth.
Primary care	Provides the patient with a broad spectrum of care, both preventive and curative, over a period of time and coordinates all of the care the person receives.
Psychogeriatric	A term describing either age-related or life-long mental health illnesses, and diseases of the brain which tend to predominantly affect older people, such as Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Radiation oncology (Radiotherapy)	The study and discipline of treating malignant disease with radiation. The treatment is referred to as radiotherapy or radiation therapy.
Rheumatoid arthritis	Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease, mainly characterised by inflammation of the lining, or synovium, of the joints. It can lead to long-term joint damage, resulting in chronic pain, loss of function and disability.
Rheumatology	Rheumatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the study and treatment of diseases of the joints, muscles and bones.
Stoma	Artificial body opening in the abdominal region, for the purpose of waste removal.
Syndromic surveillance	Syndromic surveillance is a public health tool that is primarily intended to identify a significant illness cluster before diagnosis is confirmed. This may allow a public health response to be initiated earlier than what may result from traditional surveillance.
Triclosan	An antibacterial product which is effective against most bacteria and exhibits slight activity against yeasts and fungi, which is used in personal care and cosmetic products such as surgical scrubs, soaps and deodorants.

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