Ancillary
Formal Definition
Support staff and services that assist clinical care: nursing, PT/OT, social work, case management, phlebotomy.
How It's Used on the Ward
"Involve ancillary" or "touch base with ancillary" — means calling in the support team.
Example
""This patient is going to need PT and OT evaluation before discharge — involve ancillary early. Also get social work involved for the SNF placement.""
Clinical Context
Medical students often focus only on the physician team. But ancillary staff are essential: case management drives discharge, PT enables mobility, social work handles psychosocial barriers. Learning to coordinate with them makes you a better clinician.
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