Terms related to healthcare IT, including definitions about healthcare information and management systems and words and phrases about electronic health records, meaningful use, government regulations and medical technology.
hybrid health record (HHR) - A hybrid health record (HHR) is documentation of an individual's health information that is tracked in multiple formats and stored in multiple places.
IBM Watson supercomputer - Watson is an IBM supercomputer that combines artificial intelligence (AI) and sophisticated analytical software for optimal performance as a 'question answering' machine.
ICD-10-CM (Clinical Modification) - The ICD-10-CM (Clinical Modification) is a system used by physicians and other healthcare providers to classify and code all diagnoses, symptoms and procedures recorded in conjunction with hospital care in the United States.
ICD-10-PCS - The International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) is a U.
ICD-11 - The International Classification of Disease, Eleventh Revision (ICD-11) is a system of medical coding created by the World Health Organization (WHO) for documenting diseases, signs and symptoms, diagnoses and social circumstances.
information blocking - Information blocking occurs when a person or entity purposely and unreasonably interferes with the sharing or use of electronic health information.
insurance claims analysis - Insurance claims analysis is the inspection and judgment of merit in the requests for coverage of incidents in insurance customer claims.
IT controls - An IT control is a procedure or policy that provides a reasonable assurance that the information technology (IT) used by an organization operates as intended, that data is reliable and that the organization is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Joint Commission - The Joint Commission is an independent group that presently accredits 20,500 healthcare facilities in the United States by performing onsite evaluations.
Kinect - Kinect is Microsoft’s motion gaming system for the Xbox 360.
Laboratory Data Sharing Interoperability (LDSI) - Laboratory Data Sharing Interoperability (LDSI) is an initiative that allows chemistry and hematology lab tests and results to be shared between the Veterans Administration, the Department of Defense and private or commercial laboratories.
laboratory information system - A laboratory information system (LIS) is software that collects, stores and produces reports from medical test data.
legal health record - A legal health record is the record of patient health that is created by a health care organization for its own business record.
Maintenance Management Information System (MMIS) - Maintenance Management Information System (MMIS) is a mechanized claims processing and information retrieval system for Medicaid that's required by the federal government.
Meaningful Use - In the context of health IT, meaningful use is a term used to define minimum U.
meaningful use attestation - Meaningful use attestation, in a health information technology (HIT) context, is a process that documents that an organization or individual has successfully demonstrated meaningful use and is successfully fulfilling the requirements for electronic health records (EHR) and related technology.
meaningful use stage 1 - Meaningful use stage 1 is the first phase of the United States federal government's meaningful use incentive program, which details the requirements for the use of electronic health record (EHR) systems by hospitals and eligible health care professionals.
meaningful use stage 2 - Meaningful use stage 2 is the second phase of the meaningful use incentive program that details the second phase of requirements for the use of electronic health record (EHR) systems by hospitals and eligible health care providers.
meaningful use stage 3 - Meaningful use stage 3 is the third phase of the federal incentive program that details requirements for the use of electronic health record systems by hospitals and eligible healthcare professionals.
medical 3-D printing - Medical 3-D printing is a growing field dedicated to creating medical implants, devices, prosthetics and even human tissue using 3-D printing technology.
medical body area network (MBAN) - An MBAN (medical body area network) is composed of low-power wearable or implanted wireless medical devices.
medical device class (MDC) - Medical device class (MDC) is a category that defines the amount of risk involved with a medical device in the United States and the proper procedures that must be followed when manufacturing and using the device.
medical imaging (radiology) - Medical imaging, also known as radiology, is the field of medicine in which medical professionals recreate various images of parts of the body for diagnostic or treatment purposes.
medical practice management (MPM) software - Medical practice management (MPM) software is a collection of computerized services used by healthcare professionals and administration to streamline day-to-day tasks within a medical practice and improve the efficiency of operations and quality of patient care.
medical scribe - A medical scribe is a healthcare employee that assists medical professionals with documenting patients' medical histories.
medical transcription (MT) - Medical transcription (MT) is the manual processing of voice reports dictated by physicians and other healthcare professionals into text format.
medical transcription software (MTS) - Medical transcription software (MTS) is a specialized speech recognition program that includes a database of medical terminology.
mHealth (mobile health) - mHealth (mobile health) is a general term for the use of mobile phones and other wireless technology in medical care.
mHealth Alliance - MHealth Alliance is non-profit organization hosted by the United Nations Foundation that focuses on advancing mHealth technology in global health care through policy research, advocacy and outreach.
Microsoft HealthVault - Microsoft HealthVault, which launched in October 2007, is a free personal health record (PHR) service offered by Microsoft that allows individuals to store personal health and fitness information in a central location.
mobile cloud applications - A mobile cloud application is a software program that is designed to be accessed over the Internet by many types of portable computing devices.
motion analysis - Motion analysis is a measuring technique used in computer vision, image processing and high-speed photography applications to detect movement.
National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS) - The National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS) is a secure online framework that allows healthcare professionals and government agencies to communicate about disease patterns and coordinate national response to outbreaks.
National Health Service (NHS) - The National Health Service (NHS) is the publicly funded national healthcare system in the United Kingdom.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) - The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the principal federal agency for health research in the United States.
national provider identifier (NPI) - A national provider identifier (NPI) is a unique ten-digit identification number required by HIPAA for covered healthcare providers in the United States.
National Quality Forum (NQF) - The National Quality Forum (NQF) is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.
National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) - The National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) is a federal program run by the National Institute of Standards and Technology that provides third-party accreditation to laboratories in the U.
Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) - The Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) is a set of standards, services and policies that enable secure health information exchange (HIE) over the Internet.
neurofeedback - Neurofeedback is a therapeutic method based on presenting to clients a real-time display of their brain activity and training them, over time, to learn to control that activity.
NHIN Direct - NHIN Direct is a project being developed by the Nationwide Health Information Network that aims to enable secure health information exchange (HIE) over the Internet for primary care physicians, specialists and public health agencies.
OpenEMR - OpenEMR is free, open source software for the health care industry.
Oura ring - Oura ring is a wearable device made to measure the quality of the wearer’s sleep.
PACS (picture archiving and communication system) - PACS (picture archiving and communication system) is a medical imaging technology used primarily in healthcare organizations to securely store and digitally transmit electronic images and clinically-relevant reports.
patient engagement - Patient engagement is an ideal healthcare situation in which people are well-informed about -- and motivated to be involved -- in their own medical care.
patient matching - Patient matching is a process of comparing data from different health IT systems to see if data sources match and belong to the same patient to obtain a complete record of the patient’s health history and medical care.
patient portal - A patient portal is a web-based access point that enables self-serve health IT services for patients.
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, ACA or Obamacare) - The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (more commonly referred to as the Affordable Care Act, ACA or Obamacare) is a healthcare law passed by Congress in 2010 during the administration of President Barack Obama.
patient record locator - A patient record locator is a computer service that allows doctors and nurses to obtain a patient’s electronic health records including electronic medical records, ambulatory medical record and prescription data.
patient similarity - Patient similarity is the concept of researching the best treatments and the ones to avoid based on the records of like individuals with like health conditions.
patient-generated health data (PGHD) - Patient-generated health data (PGHD) is data created, recorded or gathered by or from patients, family members or caregivers to help address a medical concern.
pay for performance (P4P) - Pay for performance (P4P), in healthcare, is a payment model where hospitals, physicians and other healthcare workers are given financial incentives for meeting performance objectives.
personal health record (PHR) - A personal health record (PHR) is a collection of health-related information that is documented and maintained by the individual it pertains to.
pharmaceutical detailing - Detailing is a marketing technique used by pharmaceutical companies wherein a pharmaceutical representative visits and attempts to persuade a doctor to prescribe a certain company’s product more often.
PHI breach (protected health information breach) - A PHI breach is unauthorized access, use or disclosure of individually identifiable health information that is held or transmitted by a healthcare organization or its business associates.
point of care (POC) testing - Point of care (POC) testing is medical testing that is performed outside of a laboratory setting.
polygenic risk score (PRS) - A polygenic risk score (PRS) is an expression of someone's likelihood of having or developing a particular medical condition.
population health management (PHM) - Population health management (PHM) is a discipline within the healthcare industry that studies and facilitates care delivery across the general population or a group of individuals.
precision medicine (PM) - Precision medicine (PM) is a rapidly evolving development in healthcare in which physicians and other caregivers consider differences in genes, socioeconomic status and lifestyles when devising treatment regimens for patients.
prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) - A prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) is an electronic database that collects designated data on controlled substances that are prescribed and dispensed within a state.
preventive health - Preventive health is the use of recognized proactive health screenings, counseling and maintenance to prevent future illness and treatment.
privatization - Privatization is the process of transferring an enterprise or industry from the public sector to the private sector.
problem list - A problem list is a document that catalogs a patient's health problems, including nontransitive illnesses, injuries and anything else that has or is affecting the patient.
Project Nightingale - Project Nightingale is a controversial partnership between Google and Ascension, the second largest health system in the United States.
protected health information (PHI) or personal health information - Protected health information (PHI), also referred to as personal health information, generally refers to demographic information, medical histories, test and laboratory results, mental health conditions, insurance information, and other data that a healthcare professional collects to identify an individual and determine appropriate care.
Public Health Data Standards Consortium (PHDSC) - The Public Health Data Standards Consortium (referred to as PHDSC or the Consortium) is an independent agency that focuses on improvements in health information technology for both the health care industry and the public health market.
Public Health Information Network - Public Health Information Network (PHIN) is an initiative developed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish and implement a framework for sharing public health information electronically.
public sector - The public sector is the segment of an economic system that is controlled by government; it contrasts with the private sector, which is run by private citizens.
Quiz: health IT - Think you know a bit about health care IT? Try our quiz!.
Radiology Information System (RIS) - A RIS is the traditional core software system for electronically managing medical images, scheduling and billing in hospital radiology departments and physician practices.
Reference Information Model (RIM) - The Reference Information Model (RIM) is an information model for health care data developed by Health Level 7 International (HL7).
Regional Extension Center (REC) - A Regional Extension Center (REC) is an organization that has received funding under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act) to assist health care providers with the selection and implementation of electronic health record (EHR) technology.
Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) - A Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) is a group of organizations within a specific area that share healthcare-related information electronically according to accepted healthcare information technology (HIT) standards.
registered health information technician (RHIT) - A registered health information technician (RHIT) is a certified professional who stores and verifies the accuracy and completeness of electronic health records.
remote patient monitoring (RPM) - Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is a subcategory of homecare telehealth that allows patients to use mobile medical devices or technology to gather patient-generated health data (PGHD) and send it to healthcare professionals.
RHIA (Registered Health Information Administrator) - An RHIA, or registered health information administrator, is a certified professional who oversees the creation and use of patient health information, including analyzing that data.
robotic surgery (robot-assisted surgery) - Robotic surgery is the use of computer technologies working in conjunction with robot systems to perform medical procedures.
RxNorm - RxNorm is a catalog of the standard names given to clinical drugs and drug delivery devices in the United States to enable interoperability and clear communication between electronic systems, regardless of software and hardware compatibility.
SELinux (Security-Enhanced Linux) - SELinux, or Security-Enhanced Linux, is a part of the Linux security kernel that acts as a protective agent on servers.
serious reportable event (SRE) - A serious reportable event (SRE) is an incident involving death or serious harm to a patient resulting from a lapse or error in a healthcare facility.
SERMO - SERMO is an online social network of verified physicians where they can anonymously discuss patient cases and non-medical subjects.
smart bandage - A smart bandage is a wound dressing with added technology to sense wound healing progress, dispense medication and upload progress-related data.
SNOMED CT (Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine -- Clinical Terms) - SNOMED CT (Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine -- Clinical Terms) is a standardized, multilingual vocabulary of clinical terminology that is used by physicians and other health care providers for the electronic exchange of clinical health information.
Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) - Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) is software that performs a medical task without being part of a hardware device.
spend analysis - Spend analysis is the process of collecting, categorizing and evaluating expenditure data, either by human hand or through software.
subrogation - Subrogation is a legal right that lets an insurance company seek to recover costs from any third party who is responsible for the damages.