General
wallet biopsy
What does wallet biopsy mean?
Slang for establishing a patient's insurance status or means to pay, sometimes before deciding how far to work them up.
"They practically did a wallet biopsy before booking the scan."
Origin
US healthcare slang.
Frequently asked questions
What is a wallet biopsy?
Slang for checking a patient's insurance status or ability to pay, sometimes before deciding how thoroughly to investigate them.
Where does the term come from?
US healthcare slang, playing on 'biopsy' — instead of sampling tissue, you're sampling the wallet.
Is it a criticism?
Yes, it's a cynical dig at money influencing clinical decisions rather than pure medical need.
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