One of the advantages of managed care is that health insurance plans using this approach often negotiate lower rates for basic healthcare procedures with physicians, labs, and various types of healthcare facilities. What this means for the patient is the ability to obtain basic healthcare at a lower cost.
Etymology: L, auscultare, to listen. the act of listening for sounds within the body to evaluate the condition of the heart, blood vessels, lungs, pleura, intestines, or other organs or to detect the fetal heart sound.
The process of listening to sounds that are produced in the body. Direct auscultation uses the ear alone, such as when listening to the grating of a moving joint. Indirect auscultation involves the use of a stethoscope to amplify the sounds from within the body, like a heartbeat.