Get started

Get started

Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content.

• revenue cycle management (RCM)

  Revenue cycle management (RCM) is the financial process, utilizing medical billing software, that healthcare facilities use to track patient care episodes from registration and appointment scheduling to the final payment of a balance to ensure ... Continue Reading

• radiology information system (RIS)

  A radiology information system (RIS) is a networked software system for managing medical imagery and associated data. Continue Reading

• picture archiving and communication system (PACS)

  Picture archiving and communication system (PACS) is a medical imaging technology used primarily in healthcare organizations to securely store and digitally transmit electronic images and clinically relevant reports. Continue Reading

• medical scribe

  A medical scribe is a professional who specializes in documenting patient encounters in real time under the direction of a physician. Continue Reading

• ICD-10-PCS (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Procedure Coding System)

  The International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) is an American adaptation of the World Health Organization's ICD-10 system, tailored for procedural coding in inpatient and hospital settings. Continue Reading

• Definitions to Get Started

  • revenue cycle management (RCM)
  • radiology information system (RIS)
  • picture archiving and communication system (PACS)
  • medical scribe

  • ICD-10-PCS (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Procedure Coding System)
  • clinical decision support system (CDSS)
  • ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision)
  • personal health record (PHR)

  View All Definitions

• clinical decision support system (CDSS)

  A clinical decision support system (CDSS) is an application that analyzes data to help healthcare providers make decisions and improve patient care.Continue Reading

• ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision)

  The International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10), is a global standard for classifying and coding mortality and morbidity data.Continue Reading

• personal health record (PHR)

  A personal health record (PHR) is an electronic summary of health information that a patient maintains control of themselves, as opposed to their healthcare provider.Continue Reading

• 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 health information.Continue Reading

• Continuity of Care Document (CCD)

  A Continuity of Care Document (CCD) is an electronic, patient-specific document detailing a patient's medical history.Continue Reading

• Continuity of Care Record (CCR)

  The Continuity of Care Record, or CCR, provides a standardized way to create electronic snapshots about a patient's health information.Continue Reading

• legal health record (LHR)

  A legal health record (LHR) refers to documentation about a patient's personal health information that is created by a healthcare organization or provider.Continue Reading

• Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO)

  A Chief Medical Information Officer, or CMIO, essentially serves as the bridge between medical and IT departments at a healthcare organization.Continue Reading

• telehealth (telemedicine)

  Telehealth, also referred to as telemedicine or e-medicine, is the remote delivery of healthcare services over the telecommunications infrastructure.Continue Reading

• problem list

  A problem list is a document that states the most important health problems facing a patient such as nontransitive illnesses or diseases, injuries suffered by the patient, and anything else that has affected the patient or is currently ongoing with ...Continue Reading

• pharmaceutical detailing

  Pharmaceutical detailing is a 1:1 marketing technique pharmaceutical companies use to educate a physician about a vendor's products, hoping that the physician will prescribe the company's products more often.Continue Reading

• medical transcription (MT)

  Medical transcription (MT) is the manual processing of voice reports dictated by physicians and other healthcare professionals into text format.Continue Reading

• electronic intensive care unit (eICU)

  An Electronic Intensive Care Unit (eICU) is a form or model of telemedicine where state-of-the-art technology is used to provide an additional layer of critical care service to patients.Continue Reading

• protected health information (PHI) or personal health information

  Protected health information (PHI), also referred to as personal health information, is the demographic information, medical histories, test and laboratory results, mental health conditions, insurance information and other data that a healthcare ...Continue Reading

• Get started on your HCISPP training with this practice quiz

  Are you thinking of taking the HCISPP exam? If so, here's 10 practice questions from Sean P. Murphy's 'HCISPP All-in-One Exam Guide' to help get you started.Continue Reading

• HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)

  HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is United States legislation that provides data privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• electronic protected health information (ePHI)

  Electronic protected health information (ePHI) is protected health information (PHI) that is produced, saved, transferred or received in an electronic form. In the United States, ePHI management is covered under the Health Insurance Portability and ...Continue Reading

• HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society)

  The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to promote the best use of IT and management systems in the healthcare industry.Continue Reading

• Meaningful Use

  In the context of health IT, meaningful use is a term used to define minimum U.S. government standards for electronic health records (EHR), outlining how clinical patient data should be exchanged between healthcare providers, between providers and ...Continue Reading

• mHealth (mobile health)

  mHealth (mobile health) is a general term for the use of mobile phones and other wireless technology in medical care.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• computerized physician order entry (CPOE)

  Computerized physician order entry (CPOE), also known as computerized provider order entry or computerized practitioner order entry, refers to the process of a medical professional entering and sending medication orders and treatment instructions ...Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• Cerner Corp.

  Cerner Corp. is a public company in North Kansas City, Mo., that provides various health information technologies, ranging from medical devices to electronic health records (EHR) to hardware.Continue Reading

• DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine)

  DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) is a standard protocol for the management and transmission of medical images and related data and is used in many healthcare facilities.Continue Reading

• Health IT (health information technology)

  Health IT (health information technology) is the area of IT involving the design, development, creation, use and maintenance of information systems for the healthcare industry.Continue Reading

• fee-for-service (FFS)

  Fee-for-service (FFS) is a payment model in which doctors, hospitals, and medical practices charge separately for each service they perform.Continue Reading

• biomedical informatics

  Biomedical informatics is the branch of health informatics that uses data to help clinicians, researchers and scientists improve human health and provide healthcare.Continue Reading

• Health Information Exchange (HIE)

  Health information exchange (HIE) is the electronic transmission of healthcare-related data among medical facilities, health information organizations -- companies that oversee and govern the exchange of this data -- and government agencies ...Continue Reading

• clinical informatics

  Clinical informatics, also known as health informatics, is the study of how technology and data analytics can be used to improve patient care plans.Continue Reading

• value-based healthcare

  Value-based healthcare, also known as value-based care, is a payment model that rewards healthcare providers for providing quality care to patients.Continue Reading

• health informatics

  Health informatics is the practice of acquiring, studying and managing health data and applying medical concepts in conjunction with health information technology systems to help clinicians provide better healthcare.Continue Reading

• clinical trial

  A clinical trial, also known as a clinical research study, is a protocol to evaluate the effects and efficacy of experimental medical treatments or behavioral interventions on health outcomes.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• vendor neutral archive (VNA)

  A vendor neutral archive (VNA) is a technology that stores medical images in a standard format and interface, making them accessible to healthcare professionals regardless of what proprietary system created the images.Continue Reading

• HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health) Act of 2009

  The HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health) Act of 2009 is legislation that was created to stimulate the adoption of electronic health records (EHR) and the supporting technology in the United States.Continue Reading

• Epic Systems

  Epic Systems is one of the largest providers of health information technology, used primarily by large U.S. hospitals and health systems to access, organize, store and share electronic medical records.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources)

  Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) is an interoperability standard for electronic exchange of healthcare information.Continue Reading

• ONC (Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology)

  The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, abbreviated ONC, is an entity within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• genomics

  Genomics is the study of human genes and chromosomes.Continue Reading

• MACRA (Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015)

  MACRA (Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015) is U.S. healthcare legislation that provides a new framework for reimbursing clinicians who successfully demonstrate value over volume in patient care.Continue Reading

• Allscripts

  Allscripts is a vendor of electronic health record systems for physician practices, hospitals and healthcare systems.Continue Reading

• enterprise master patient index (EMPI)

  An enterprise master patient index (EMPI) is a database that is used to maintain consistent and accurate information about each patient registered by a healthcare organization.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

  Promoting a healthy general public and sharing data about chronic diseases are main goals of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Continue Reading

• American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)

  The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) is a professional organization that promotes the business and clinical uses of electronic and paper-based medical information.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• athenahealth Inc.

  athenahealth Inc. is a developer of cloud-based practice management, point-of-care mobile applications and electronic health record (EHR) systems for small to medium-sized (SMB) physician practices and hospitals.Continue Reading

• eClinicalWorks

  eClinicalWorks is a Massachusetts-based company that sells electronic medical record (EMR), practice management (PM) and personal health record (PHR) software and services to reportedly more than 115,000 physicians and 70,000 facilities in the ...Continue Reading

• FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

  The FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) regulates the production and sale of food, medicine, health technology and cosmetic products. The FDA, also called the USFDA, approves drugs and medical devices for sale and recalls unsafe products.Continue Reading

• 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. However, the new MACRA law will change the ...Continue Reading

• US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level agency in the executive branch of the federal government. Its mission is to enhance and protect the well-being of all Americans by providing effective health and human ...Continue Reading

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the wing of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that runs healthcare reimbursement and health IT programs.Continue Reading

• Meditech (Medical Information Technology Inc.)

  Meditech (Medical Information Technology Inc.) is an electronic health record vendor that holds a 19% market share in the hospital industry, but faces intense competition.Continue Reading

• McKesson Corp.

  McKesson Corp. is a provider of medicines, pharmaceutical supplies and health information technology including nursing automation, practice management, clinical decision support systems, secure online healthcare communication and electronic health ...Continue Reading

• Wearable health technology and HIPAA: What is and isn't covered

  Healthcare data many think is protected by HIPAA may not be. With wearable health technology, some experts are concerned by what's not covered.Continue Reading

• computer assisted coding system (CACS)

  A computer assisted coding system (CACS) is medical software that reviews healthcare forms, including electronic health records, and assigns appropriate medical codes to its findings.Continue Reading

• Joint Commission

  The Joint Commission is an independent group that presently accredits 20,500 healthcare facilities in the United States by performing onsite evaluations.Continue Reading

• Bar Coded Medication Administration (BCMA)

  Bar Coded Medication Administration (BCMA) is a hospital inventory control system that uses barcodes in the distribution of prescription medications with the goal of ensuring the patient is receiving the correct medication.Continue Reading

• laboratory information system

  A laboratory information system (LIS) is software that collects, stores and produces reports from medical test data.Continue Reading

• HL7 (Health Level Seven International)

  HL7 (Health Level Seven International) is a set of standards, formats and definitions for exchanging and developing electronic health records (EHRs).Continue Reading

• Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code

  Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes are a uniform medical code set maintained and copyrighted by the American Medical Association and used to describe medical, surgical and diagnostic services.Continue Reading

• Clinical Document Architecture (CDA)

  Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) is a markup standard created by Health Level 7 International (HL7) that defines the structure of discharge summaries, progress notes and other medical records.Continue Reading

• Healthcare CIO (healthcare chief information officer)

  A healthcare CIO is a healthcare executive with an influence over technology purchasing and other IT business decisions.Continue Reading

• American Medical Association (AMA)

  The American Medical Association (AMA) is a physician group that works for healthcare reform and publishes a collection of medical journals.Continue Reading

• ICD-9-CM (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification)

  ICD-9-CM is the current medical coding standard used in hospitals in the United States. It is scheduled to be replaced by ICD-10 by Oct. 1, 2015.Continue Reading

• clinical documentation (healthcare)

  Clinical documentation (CD) is the creation of a digital or analog record detailing a medical treatment, medical trial or clinical test.Continue Reading

• The predicament for providers, patients in stage 2 meaningful use

  For physicians and hospitals, achieving stage 2 meaningful use under the proposed rules means relying on patients to do their part. This is easier said than done.Continue Reading

• Meaningful use stage 2 deadlines: Giving way to ICD-10 implementation?

  Those folks reading HHS's meaningful use stage 2 deadline announcement last week as an ICD-10 deadline extension can give up hope on that.Continue Reading

• Industry reacts: Meaningful use stage 2

  Concerns about meaningful use stage 2 so far suggest that the requirements either go too far or not far enough. Beyond that, surprises were kept to a minimum.Continue Reading

• Got a meaningful use stage 2 comment?

  Believe it or not, American Idol figures in to meaningful use stage 2 commenting. An ONC spokesperson explains.Continue Reading

• Twitter co-founder offers health IT innovation insight

  You can't talk innovation without social media, and you can't talk social media without Twitter. At HIMSS 2012, Biz Stone shared his personal and professional insight and applied it to health care IT.Continue Reading

• Stage 2 of meaningful use coming this week

  After waiting, and waiting, for the announcement of meaningful use stage 2 on Friday, the health care world turns to HIMSS 2012, where the federal government has several chances to state its case.Continue Reading

• Survey says? Hospitals still forming data disaster recovery plans

  As information systems and next-generation diagnostic equipment proliferate more and more data, disaster recovery for health care becomes more complex.Continue Reading

• Cardiologists embracing meaningful use program so far

  A survey of American College of Cardiology members suggests that more than half intend to participate in meaningful use and more than one-third have already registered.Continue Reading

• ambulatory medical record (AMR)

  An ambulatory medical record (AMR) is an electronically stored file of a patient’s outpatient medical records, which includes all surgeries and care that do not involve being admitted to a hospital.Continue Reading

• Briefing: Getting meaningful use money in five (not so easy) steps

  Obtaining financial incentives for demonstrating the meaningful use of EHR technology is no easy task. This guide outlines the five steps that are key to getting the job done.Continue Reading

• SearchHealthIT.com podcasts provide health IT news on the go

  SearchHealthIT.com podcasts provide health IT news on the go, featuring interviews with health IT leaders and advice from health IT experts.Continue Reading