Which term best describes a service that supports the delivery of care but is not direct treatment?

• A. Support services
• B. Therapeutic services
• C. Informed consent
• D. Civility

Answer: (A)

The main idea is to distinguish between services that enable care and those that provide direct treatment. Support services are the functions that make it possible to deliver care smoothly—things like dietary and nutrition support, medical records and scheduling, transportation, housekeeping, equipment sterilization, and other administrative or logistical tasks. They don’t treat patients themselves, but they help ensure that clinicians can deliver care safely and efficiently.

Therapeutic services, by contrast, involve actual treatment or therapy provided to patients, such as physical therapy or counseling. Informed consent is about a patient agreeing to a proposed treatment after understanding its risks and benefits. Civility refers to respectful behavior and professional conduct.