Terminology and Concepts

Term	Description
Patient	An individual receiving healthcare services, with a unique patient record
Healthcare Practitioner	A doctor, nurse, therapist, or other healthcare provider registered in the system
Patient Encounter	A clinical consultation between a practitioner and patient, where diagnoses, prescriptions, and notes are recorded
Service Unit	A physical location within the healthcare facility (e.g., OPD Room 1, ICU Bed 3, Lab)
Appointment Type	A category of appointment (e.g., General Consultation, Follow-up, Specialist Visit)
Medical Department	A clinical specialty area (e.g., Cardiology, Orthopedics, General Medicine)
Vital Signs	Key physiological measurements (temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, etc.)
Clinical Procedure	A medical procedure performed on a patient (e.g., ECG, Wound Dressing, Minor Surgery)
Observation	A clinical finding or measurement, following FHIR standards
Diagnostic Report	A formal lab or imaging report containing observations and conclusions
Inpatient Record	The admission-to-discharge record for a patient staying in the facility
Service Request	An order for a healthcare service (medication, lab test, procedure, or therapy)
Insurance Claim	A request submitted to an insurance payor for reimbursement of healthcare services
Fee Validity	A time-based rule that allows follow-up consultations within a validity period without additional fees
ABDM	Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission — India's national digital health infrastructure