Healthcare Innovation and Technology
Expert-defined terms from the Advanced Professional Diploma in Healthcare Economics course at London School of International Business. Free to read, free to share, paired with a globally recognised certification pathway.
Healthcare Innovation and Technology Glossary #
Healthcare Innovation and Technology Glossary
A #
A
1 #
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Explanation: AI refers to the simulation of human intelligence processe… #
In healthcare, AI is used for tasks like interpreting medical images, predicting patient outcomes, and personalizing treatment plans.
2 #
Adoption
- Explanation: Adoption in healthcare refers to the process of incorporat… #
It involves ensuring that users are effectively using the new tools to improve patient care.
B #
B
3 #
Big Data
- Explanation: Big Data refers to vast amounts of structured and unstruct… #
In healthcare, Big Data is used to inform decision-making, improve outcomes, and reduce costs.
4 #
Blockchain
- Explanation: Blockchain is a decentralized, digital ledger that records… #
In healthcare, blockchain technology can be used to maintain patient records, ensure data security, and streamline processes.
C #
C
5 #
Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS)
- Explanation: A CDSS is a computer-based tool that assists healthcare pr… #
It helps improve diagnosis accuracy, treatment effectiveness, and patient safety.
6 #
Cloud Computing
- Explanation: Cloud computing involves delivering computing services ove… #
In healthcare, cloud computing enables organizations to store, manage, and access data and applications remotely, leading to greater flexibility and scalability.
D #
D
7 #
Digital Health
- Explanation: Digital health encompasses the use of information and comm… #
It includes mobile apps, wearable devices, telehealth platforms, and electronic health records.
8 #
Data Interoperability
- Explanation: Data interoperability refers to the ability of different i… #
In healthcare, interoperability is crucial for sharing patient information across providers, systems, and settings.
E #
E
9 #
Electronic Health Record (EHR)
- Explanation: An EHR is a digital version of a patient's paper chart tha… #
EHRs improve care coordination, patient safety, and clinical decision-making.
10 #
Entrepreneurship
- Explanation: Entrepreneurship in healthcare involves identifying opport… #
Healthcare entrepreneurs play a vital role in driving technological advancements, improving patient outcomes, and addressing unmet needs.
F #
F
11 #
Healthcare Fraud
- Explanation: Healthcare fraud refers to intentional deception or misrep… #
It includes activities such as billing for services not rendered, upcoding, kickbacks, and identity theft. Healthcare fraud impacts the quality of care and increases costs for patients and payers.
12 #
Healthcare IT Security
- Explanation: Healthcare IT security focuses on protecting patient data,… #
It involves implementing safeguards, encryption, access controls, and monitoring systems to ensure data confidentiality and integrity.
G #
G
13 #
Genomics
- Explanation: Genomics is the study of an individual's genes and their i… #
In healthcare, genomics plays a key role in personalized medicine, disease prevention, early detection, and treatment selection based on genetic profiles.
14 #
Healthcare Gamification
- Explanation: Healthcare gamification involves applying game design elem… #
It uses rewards, challenges, and feedback to make health-related activities more enjoyable and interactive.
H #
H
15 #
Health Information Exchange (HIE)
- Explanation: HIE allows healthcare providers, hospitals, laboratories,… #
It enhances care coordination, reduces duplication of tests, and improves communication among providers.
16 #
Healthcare Innovation
- Explanation: Healthcare innovation involves the development and impleme… #
It aims to improve patient outcomes, enhance efficiency, and address unmet needs through creativity and experimentation.
I #
I
17 #
Internet of Things (IoT)
- Explanation: IoT refers to a network of interconnected devices, objects… #
In healthcare, IoT devices can monitor patients remotely, track vital signs, automate workflows, and improve healthcare delivery and decision-making.
18 #
Implementation Science
- Explanation: Implementation science focuses on bridging the gap between… #
It aims to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of innovations.
J #
J
19 #
Joint Commission
- Explanation: The Joint Commission is an independent, non-profit organiz… #
It sets standards for quality and safety, conducts surveys and evaluations, and provides education and resources to improve healthcare delivery.
20. Just #
in-Time Healthcare
- Explanation: Just-in-Time healthcare refers to the delivery of services… #
It aims to reduce wait times, improve access, increase efficiency, and enhance patient satisfaction.
K #
K
21 #
Knowledge Translation
- Explanation: Knowledge translation involves the exchange, synthesis, an… #
It aims to bridge the gap between research and implementation to improve healthcare outcomes, quality, and effectiveness.
22 #
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Explanation: KPIs are quantifiable measures used to evaluate the perfor… #
In healthcare, KPIs can include patient satisfaction scores, readmission rates, mortality rates, and financial indicators to track and monitor outcomes.
L #
L
23 #
Lean Healthcare
- Explanation: Lean healthcare is a management philosophy and methodology… #
It involves streamlining processes, reducing errors, empowering staff, and optimizing resources to deliver high-quality care at lower costs.
24 #
Machine Learning
- Explanation: Machine learning is a subset of AI that enables computers… #
In healthcare, machine learning algorithms can analyze medical images, predict disease risk, and personalize treatment plans based on patient data.
M #
M
25 #
Mobile Health (mHealth)
- Explanation: mHealth refers to the use of mobile devices, such as smart… #
It enables remote consultations, medication reminders, health tracking, and real-time communication with providers.
26 #
Medical Device Innovation
- Explanation: Medical device innovation involves the design, development… #
It requires adherence to regulatory standards, safety testing, clinical trials, and market validation to bring products to market.
N #
N
27 #
Nanotechnology
- Explanation: Nanotechnology involves manipulating materials at the nano… #
In healthcare, nanotechnology is used for drug delivery, imaging, diagnostics, and regenerative medicine to enhance treatment outcomes and reduce side effects.
28 #
New Product Development (NPD)
- Explanation: NPD is the process of conceptualizing, designing, testing,… #
In healthcare, NPD involves identifying unmet needs, conducting market research, developing prototypes, obtaining regulatory approvals, and commercializing innovative solutions to address health challenges.
O #
O
29. Outcome #
Based Healthcare
- Explanation: Outcome-based healthcare focuses on delivering high-qualit… #
It emphasizes value, patient-centeredness, evidence-based practices, and accountability in healthcare delivery and payment models.
30 #
Open Innovation
- Explanation: Open innovation involves leveraging external ideas, techno… #
In healthcare, open innovation fosters collaboration, partnerships, and knowledge exchange among stakeholders to accelerate research, development, and adoption of new solutions.
P #
P
31 #
Personalized Medicine
- Explanation: Personalized medicine tailors medical treatment and interv… #
It aims to optimize therapy effectiveness, minimize side effects, and improve patient outcomes by providing targeted and customized care.
32 #
Population Health Management
- Explanation: Population health management involves assessing and improv… #
It focuses on preventive care, chronic disease management, care coordination, and data-driven interventions to optimize health, reduce costs, and enhance population health.
Q #
Q
33 #
Quality Improvement
- Explanation: Quality improvement is a systematic approach to assessing,… #
It involves identifying opportunities for improvement, implementing changes, measuring outcomes, and sustaining performance excellence to deliver better care and outcomes for patients.
34 #
Quantified Self
- Explanation: The quantified self movement involves using technology to… #
It empowers individuals to make informed decisions, set goals, and improve their health behaviors through self-monitoring and feedback.
R #
R
35 #
Regulatory Compliance
- Explanation: Regulatory compliance in healthcare refers to adhering to… #
It involves ensuring that healthcare organizations, providers, and vendors meet legal requirements, certifications, and guidelines to operate ethically and responsibly.
36 #
Remote Monitoring
- Explanation: Remote monitoring involves using technology to track, meas… #
It enables healthcare providers to monitor patients remotely, detect early warning signs, and intervene proactively to improve outcomes, reduce hospitalizations, and enhance patient engagement.
S #
S
37 #
Simulation Technology
- Explanation: Simulation technology replicates real-world scenarios, env… #
It provides a safe, interactive, and immersive learning experience for medical students, residents, and practitioners to enhance competency, confidence, and patient safety.
38 #
Smart Healthcare
- Explanation: Smart healthcare involves the integration of digital techn… #
It includes smart hospitals, connected devices, remote monitoring, predictive analytics, and personalized care to transform the healthcare experience and ecosystem.
T #
T
39 #
Telemedicine
- Explanation: Telemedicine involves providing clinical services, consult… #
It enables patients to access care from anywhere, reduces travel time, enhances convenience, and expands healthcare access for underserved populations.
40 #
Technology Adoption Curve
- Explanation: The technology adoption curve represents the different sta… #
It includes innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards, each with varying attitudes, behaviors, and preferences towards technology adoption.
U #
U
41 #
Usability Testing
- Explanation: Usability testing involves evaluating the ease of use, eff… #
In healthcare, usability testing helps identify design flaws, usability issues, and user preferences to optimize the functionality, accessibility, and user experience of healthcare technologies and applications.
42 #
Universal Health Coverage
- Explanation: Universal health coverage aims to ensure that all individu… #
It involves providing essential health services, promoting health equity, and establishing robust health systems that meet the healthcare needs of everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status or location.
V #
V
43. Value #
Based Care
- Explanation: Value-based care focuses on delivering high-quality health… #
It emphasizes value over volume, patient-centeredness, care coordination, and evidence-based practices to enhance quality, efficiency