Tools & Resources
Commonly Used Acronyms
| Acronyms | Definition |
|---|---|
| A | |
| AAFP | American Academy of Family Physicians |
| ABFM | American Board of Family Medicine |
| ACA | Affordable Care Act (Also see PPACA) |
| ACS | American Community Survey by US Census Bureau |
| AHEC | Area Health Education Center |
| AHRQ | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality |
| AMA | American Medical Association |
| APHCRI | Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute |
| ARRA | American Recovery and Reinvestment Act |
| ASAPS | Applications Submission and Processing System |
| ASTHO | Association of State and Territorial Health Officials |
| B | |
| BAHEC | Basic Area Health Education Center |
| BCRS | Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service |
| BHPr | Bureau of Health Professions |
| BPHC | Bureau of Primary Health Care |
| C | |
| CA | Catchment Area |
| CAH | Critical Access Hospital |
| CAM | Complementary and Alternative Medicine |
| CAP | Community Access Program |
| CHC | Community Health Center |
| CHSFMC | Center for Health Service Financing and Managed Care |
| CIHI | AAFP Center for International Health Initiatives |
| CMS | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services |
| COE | Center of Excellence |
| CPT | Current Procedural Terminology |
| CQ | Center for Quality |
| CT | Census Tract |
| D | |
| DARTNet | The Distributed Ambulatory Research in Therapeutics Network |
| DFM | Division of Financial Management |
| DHCDD | Division of Health Center Diversity and Development |
| DIG | Designation Interest Group |
| DMD | Division of Medicine and Dentistry |
| DPRC | Division of Policy Review and Coordination |
| E | |
| ED | Emergency Department |
| EHB | Electronic Handbook |
| EHR | Electronic Health Record |
| EMC | Expanded Medical Capacity (HRSA Grants) |
| EMR | Electronic Medical Record |
| F | |
| FIP | Facility Investment Program (Grant) |
| FLEX | Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program |
| FLRP | Faculty Loan Repayment Program |
| FQHC | Federally Qualified Health Center |
| FQHCLA | Federally Qualified Health Center Look-A-Like |
| FSR | Final Summary Report or Financial Status Report |
| FTE | Full Time Equivalent |
| FY | Fiscal Year |
| G | |
| GIS | Geographic Information System/Science |
| GME | Graduate Medical Education |
| GMS | Grants Management Specialist |
| H | |
| HC | Health Center |
| HCUP | Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project |
| HHS | Department of Health and Human Services |
| HP | Health Professional |
| HPSA | Health Professional Shortage Area |
| HRSA | Health Resources and Services Administration |
| HSB | Healthcare Systems Bureau |
| I | |
| IMG | International Medical Graduate |
| IOM | Institute of Medicine |
| ION | Item of Note |
| L | |
| LAL | Look-A-Like |
| LRP | Loan Repayment Program |
| M | |
| MCD | Minor Civil Division |
| MCHB | Maternal and Child Health Bureau |
| MedPAC | Medical Payment Advisory Commission |
| MHC | Migrant Health Center |
| MOC | Maintenance of Certification |
| MSOD | Medical School Outcomes Database - Australia |
| MUA | Medically Underserved Area |
| MUC | Medically Underserved Community |
| MUP | Medically Underserved Population |
| N | |
| NACHC | National Association of Community Health Centers |
| NAP | New Access Point (HRSA Grants) |
| NAPCRG | North American Primary Care Research Group |
| NCA | National Cooperative Agreement |
| NCMHD | National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities |
| NELRP | Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program |
| NFA | Need for Assistance |
| NGA | Notice of Grant Award |
| NHP | National Health Policy |
| NHSC | National Health Service Corps |
| NHSC LRP | National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program |
| NHSC SP | National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program |
| NIH | National Institutes of Health |
| NNOHA | National Network for Oral Health Access |
| NOSORH | National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health |
| NP | Nurse Practitioner |
| NPI | National Provider Identifier |
| NPRM | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking |
| NRN | National Research Network |
| O | |
| OAFM | Office of Administration and Financial Management |
| OC | Office of Communications |
| OFAM | Office of Federal Assistance Management |
| OGC | Office of the General Counsel |
| OIT | Office of Information Technology |
| OMB | Office of Management and Budget |
| OMH | Office of Minority Health |
| OPE | Office of Planning and Evaluation |
| OPR | Office of Performance Review |
| ORHP | Office of Rural Health Policy |
| ORO | Office of Regional Operations |
| OSD | Office of Shortage Designation |
| P | |
| PA | Physician Assistant |
| PBRN | Practice Based Research Network |
| PCA | Primary Care Association |
| PCL | Primary Care Loan |
| PCMH | Patient Centered Medical Home |
| PCO | Primary Care Office |
| PCSA | Primary Care Service Area |
| PHS | Public Health Service |
| PPACA | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act |
| PSAP | Physician Shortage Area Program |
| PW | Proposed for Withdrawal |
| R | |
| RAC | Rural Assistance Center |
| RHC | Rural Health Clinic |
| RHN | Rural Health Network |
| RRC | Rural Referral Center |
| RSA | Rational Service Area |
| RTSC | Recruitment Training and Support Center |
| RUCA | Rural Urban and Commuting Area |
| S | |
| SAMHSA | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration |
| SCHIP | State Children's Health Insurance Program |
| SEARCH | Student/Resident Experiences and Rotations in Community Health |
| SF1-5 | Summary Files from US Census (Demographic Data) |
| SG | Surgeon General of the United States |
| SGR | Sustainable Growth Rate |
| SLRP | State Loan Repayment Program |
| SORH | State Offices of Rural Health |
| T | |
| TA | Technical Assistance |
| THC | Teaching Health Center |
| U | |
| UDS | Uniform Data System |
| Z | |
| ZCTA | ZIP Code Tabulation Area |
August 2011
Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Family Physicians
The information and opinions contained in research from the Graham Center do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the AAFP.