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Health-Tech Glossary
Health technology runs on acronyms, and a vendor who uses them fluently can make a simple idea sound out of reach. This glossary translates the terms that matter, from EHR and interoperability to HL7, FHIR and RPM, into plain language, with a note on why each one is worth understanding.
18 of 18 terms.
- AI and Machine LearningAI / MLAI and analytics
- Software that finds patterns in data to support tasks such as reading images, flagging risk or drafting notes. Machine learning is the technique of learning those patterns from examples.
- Why it matters. Used well, it supports clinicians and saves time; used carelessly, it can be biased or wrong. Validation and human oversight are essential.
- APIAPIData and privacy
- An Application Programming Interface, a defined way for one piece of software to request data or actions from another. It is the plug that lets systems connect.
- Why it matters. A system with a documented, standards-based API can be integrated; a closed system usually cannot, whatever the sales pitch says.
- Clinical coding (SNOMED CT, ICD)Standards
- Standard vocabularies that give conditions, symptoms and procedures agreed codes, so a diagnosis means the same thing across systems and countries.
- Why it matters. Coded data can be searched, reported and shared reliably; free text cannot. It is what turns records into insight.
- Clinical Decision SupportCDSAI and analytics
- Software that gives clinicians relevant information or reminders at the point of care, such as a drug-interaction alert or a screening prompt.
- Why it matters. Well-designed CDS can surface useful information at the right time. Poorly tuned alerts can be ignored, so local validation and monitoring matter as much as the feature.
- Cloud hostingData and privacy
- Running software and storing data on managed servers accessed over the internet, rather than on computers physically in the clinic.
- Why it matters. Cloud can improve reliability and access, but you should still know where data is stored, who can reach it, and what happens if the service stops.
- CybersecurityData and privacy
- Protecting systems, devices and data from unauthorised access, attack or loss, through measures such as access control, encryption and backups.
- Why it matters. A breach can interrupt care and expose highly sensitive information, so security, recovery, and governance belong in every decision.
- Data protection and consentData and privacy
- The rules and practices for keeping personal health information secure and for making sure it is only collected and shared with clear, informed permission.
- Why it matters. Health data is highly sensitive. Strong protection and honest consent are not optional extras; they are the price of using the data at all.
- Digital maturityAI and analytics
- How far an organisation has progressed in using digital tools effectively, from paper-based work through to fully connected, data-driven care.
- Why it matters. Knowing your maturity level keeps investment realistic: the right next step for a paper-based clinic is very different from an advanced one.
- Electronic Health RecordEHRRecords
- A digital version of a patient record designed to be shared across a care team and, ideally, between organisations. It goes beyond one clinic's notes to hold a fuller, structured history.
- Why it matters. A real EHR is the backbone of digital care: if the record is not structured and shared, most other tools have nothing solid to plug into.
- Electronic Medical RecordEMRRecords
- A digital record used within a single practice or clinic. The terms EMR and EHR are often used interchangeably, but EMR usually implies a record that stays inside one organisation.
- Why it matters. Knowing whether a system is really an EMR (internal) or an EHR (shareable) tells you how far its data can travel.
- FHIRFHIRStandards
- Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources, a modern HL7 standard that uses common web technology to move health data in small, well-defined pieces called resources.
- Why it matters. FHIR is widely used for modern health-data exchange. Ask which FHIR version, resources, profiles, and operations a vendor actually supports.
- Health Information ExchangeHIEData and privacy
- The secure sharing of health information between different organisations, and the infrastructure that makes that sharing possible.
- Why it matters. HIE is how a patient record follows them between a clinic, a lab and a hospital instead of starting from scratch each time.
- HL7HL7Standards
- A family of long-established standards from the Health Level Seven organisation for exchanging clinical and administrative data between health systems.
- Why it matters. Shared standards can reduce custom mapping, but support for the same standard does not guarantee a plug-and-play connection. Ask which version, messages, and workflows are implemented.
- Internet of Medical ThingsIoMTConnected care
- The network of connected medical and health devices, from hospital equipment to home sensors and wearables, that collect and share data.
- Why it matters. More connected devices means more data and more convenience, but also a wider surface to secure and manage.
- InteroperabilityStandards
- The ability of different systems to exchange information and actually use it, without staff re-typing data from one screen into another.
- Why it matters. It is the single biggest determinant of whether digital tools save time or create double work. Ask about it before every purchase.
- Personal Health RecordPHRRecords
- A record that the patient controls, often through an app or portal, where they can view and sometimes add their own health information.
- Why it matters. PHRs put patients in the loop and can reduce repeated questions, but they only help if the data in them is trustworthy and up to date.
- Remote Patient MonitoringRPMConnected care
- Collecting health data from a patient at home, such as blood pressure, glucose or weight, and sending it to their care team between visits.
- Why it matters. RPM can support follow-up between visits, but only when responsibilities, review rules, and escalation routes are defined before data starts arriving.
- Telehealth / TelemedicineConnected care
- Delivering care or advice remotely, usually by video, phone or secure messaging. Telehealth is sometimes used more broadly than telemedicine, which centres on clinical consultations.
- Why it matters. It expands access and saves travel for suitable appointments, while never replacing care that needs a physical examination.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-18
Standards behind the glossary
- FHIR R5 specification overview HL7 International, 2023Primary reference for FHIR terminology. Definitions here are simplified for non-specialists.
- Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 US National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2024
- Ethics and governance of artificial intelligence for health World Health Organization, 2021
Last reviewed: 2026-07-18
Put it to work
Now that the jargon makes sense, see where your clinic stands and build the questions to ask a vendor.