Acronyms and Definitions

 Acronyms and Definitions

ADL

Activities of daily living

Biodata

Information that establishes each client’s identity

CECD

Chart of Early Childhood Development

CIC

Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Client

A foreign national who is seeking to enter Canada, and in accordance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and its Regulations, is required to submit to an IME.

Clinic staff

Persons who are working in the panel member’s clinic and may be involved in the immigration medical process.

CXR

Chest x-ray

DIAC

Department of Immigration and Citizenship (Australia)

DICOM

Computer disk with x-ray image

DOT

Directly observed therapy

ED

Excessive demand, i.e., a demand placed by a client on Canadian health or social services.

EDE

Excessive demand exempt is a category of client who is exempt from assessment of excessive demand.

ELISA

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, also known as enzyme immunoassay, which is a blood test for HIV.

eMedical

An online application that provides a paperless process for electronic recording, transmission and storage of immigration health examination results.

Furthered cases

Cases that require supplemental medical reports to complete the medical assessment.

GAF

Global assessment of functioning

Guardian

A legal guardian is a person who has custody or who is empowered to act on behalf of another person and has been recognized as such by the competent authorities in the jurisdiction where the status was either recognized or granted.

Handbook

This Handbook is the standard reference for the orientation and training of panel members. All panel members must ensure that they remain familiar with it and with departmental instructions, including interim changes and updates provided by CIC.

HIV

Human immunodeficiency virus

IFHP

Interim Federal Health Program: a program funded by CIC that provides limited, temporary coverage of costs related to health care for specific categories of people, including protected persons, refugee claimants, rejected refugee claimants, certain persons detained under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and other specified groups.

IMA

Immigration medical assessment, i.e., the medical determination made by a CIC edical officer of a client’s admissibility to Canada.

IME

Immigration medical examination: the examination is conducted by a panel member. The results of these examinations are sent to CIC medical officers who conduct IMAs.

IME number

Immigration medical examination number

IMEIs

Immigration medical examination instructions, i.e., the instructions for completion of the IME.

IMM 0535

Medical Surveillance Undertaking Form, issued to individuals who have undergone their IME in Canada or abroad and have been determined to require medical surveillance by Canadian Public Health Authorities.

IMM 1017

An IME form containing the client’s biodata, IME grading and panel physician declaration.

IMM 5419

An IME form containing the client’s medical history, physical examination findings, laboratory, chest x-ray requisition results and the client’s consent and declaration.

IMM 5544

Supplemental medical and resettlement needs assessment form providing information on the special needs a client may have while settling in Canada.

IOM

International Organization for Migration

IRPA and IRPR

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, i.e., Canadian federal legislation setting out the requirements for immigrating to or visiting Canada, including the requirement to have an IME and be medically admissible. The Act and Regulations can be found at http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/I-2.5/.

LFT

Liver function test

Locum tenens

Medical practitioners who replace panel physicians for a short period while they are on vacation, taking training or unable to provide service for other reasons.

LTBI

Latent tuberculosis infection

Panel clinic

A clinic where designated physicians and radiologists conduct IMEs.

Panel member

A general term that refers to a panel physician, panel radiologist or panel laboratories or specialists authorized by CIC to perform IME-related activities.

Panel physician

New term used for a medical doctor designated to perform, grade and submit IMEs. Designated medical practitioner (DMP) was the previously used term.

Panel radiologist

A radiologist designated to perform, grade and submit chest x-rays for IMEs.

P number

A unique identifier for each panel member issued by the Health Branch.

PHLU

Public Health Liaison Unit, located in the Health Branch, CIC (the former term was Medical Surveillance Unit).

Protected person – In Canada

People who have been determined to be protected persons by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB), or in a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment, and who have been granted permanent residence as a result.

PTB

Pulmonary tuberculosis

PTC

Post test counselling

Refugee overseas

Convention refugee overseas

RMO

Regional medical office is the location of operations for medical officers who are CIC officials with responsibility for the Canadian immigration health program in a given region.

TB

Tuberculosis

TST

Tuberculin skin test

UCI

Unique client identifier

UFM

Upfront medical

UMI

Unique medical identifier

VDRL

Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test, which is a blood test for syphilis.

VO

Visa office, where immigration and other applications are processed.

WHO

World Health Organization