Terms that come up when evaluating clinic software.
Short, plain definitions — what a term means, and why it matters to a clinic specifically, not a textbook explanation.
- Plain language
- India-specific
- Updated as terms evolve
Ten terms, defined for a clinic, not a textbook.
- Records
EMR
A digital patient chart kept by one clinic.
Read more - Records
EHR
A record designed to move between providers.
Read more - Records
HIS
Whole-hospital operations software.
Read more - ABDM
ABHA
A patient's 14-digit health ID under ABDM.
Read more - ABDM
ABDM
India's national digital health mission.
Read more - ABDM
Consent artefact
The recorded proof of a patient's permission.
Read more - ABDM
FHIR
The data standard health records exchange in.
Read more - Compliance
DPDP Act
India's law on personal and health data.
Read more - Prescribing
e-Prescription
A structured, digitally delivered prescription.
Read more - Messaging
WhatsApp BSP
The infrastructure behind WhatsApp Business messaging.
Read more
Software evaluations use a lot of acronyms.
A clinic evaluating EMR software runs into ABDM, ABHA, DPDP, FHIR and BSP within the first conversation, often without a clear explanation of any of them. This glossary exists so those terms don't have to be looked up somewhere else — each entry is short, specific to what a clinic in India needs to know, and links to the fuller guide or trust page if you want more depth.
Keep reading.
- TrustABDM complianceABHA creation, care-context linking, consent requests and FHIR record push happen inside the patient record. Here is what the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission asks of a clinic, and which parts Saaro handles.
- TrustDPDP complianceConsent, notice, retention, erasure, breach reporting and grievance handling are obligations on the clinic. Here is what each one means for an OPD, and which parts the product does for you.
- ResourcesWhat is EMR software?A short, practical explanation of what an Electronic Medical Record is, what it replaces, and how a clinic decides whether it needs one.
- ResourcesEMR vs EHR vs HISThey aren't the same thing, even though vendors often use them loosely. Here's the practical distinction, and why it matters when you're evaluating software.