Health Tech Glossary
Key terms and acronyms in digital health
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| ACO | Accountable Care Organization — groups of providers that coordinate care for a patient population with shared savings incentives |
| API | Application Programming Interface — a set of protocols for building and integrating software applications |
| BAA | Business Associate Agreement — HIPAA-required contract with vendors handling PHI |
| CCPA | California Consumer Privacy Act — California state privacy law affecting health data |
| CDS | Clinical Decision Support — health IT functionality that provides clinicians with knowledge and patient-specific information |
| CE Marking | Conformité Européenne — indicates conformity with EU health, safety, and environmental requirements |
| CPT Code | Current Procedural Terminology — medical codes used for billing and reimbursement |
| DICOM | Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine — standard for medical imaging |
| DTx | Digital Therapeutic — evidence-based therapeutic interventions driven by software |
| EHR/EMR | Electronic Health/Medical Record — digital version of a patient’s medical history |
| EU MDR | European Union Medical Device Regulation — Regulation (EU) 2017/745 governing medical devices |
| FDA | Food and Drug Administration — US agency regulating medical devices and drugs |
| FHIR | Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources — HL7 standard for health data exchange |
| GDPR | General Data Protection Regulation — EU regulation for data protection and privacy |
| HITRUST | Health Information Trust Alliance — comprehensive security framework for healthcare |
| HL7 | Health Level Seven — set of international standards for health data exchange |
| HIPAA | Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act — US law protecting health data |
| ICD-10 | International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision — diagnostic coding standard |
| IoMT | Internet of Medical Things — connected medical devices and sensors |
| ISO 13485 | Quality management system standard for medical devices |
| PHI | Protected Health Information — individually identifiable health data protected by HIPAA |
| QMS | Quality Management System — documented processes for quality in medical device development |
| RBAC | Role-Based Access Control — access management based on user roles |
| RPM | Remote Patient Monitoring — technology-enabled monitoring of patients outside clinical settings |
| SaMD | Software as a Medical Device — software intended to be used for medical purposes |
| SMART-on-FHIR | Substitutable Medical Apps, Reusable Technology — standard for EHR-integrated apps |
| SOC 2 | Service Organization Control Type II — auditing standard for security controls |
| UDI | Unique Device Identification — FDA system for identifying medical devices |
| VBC | Value-Based Care — healthcare delivery model where providers are paid based on outcomes |