Free Reference Guide — 115 Terms

The Healthcare CTO's AI Glossary A–Z

Every AI and health-tech term you need to know — explained in plain language with healthcare-specific context. No jargon. No fluff. Just clarity.

115+Terms defined

6Categories

A–ZFull alphabet

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Sample Entries

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Every term gets a plain-language definition plus a healthcare-specific context section that tells you why it matters for your organization.

AI & Machine Learning

Agentic AI

An advanced class of AI systems composed of autonomous agents that pursue goals, coordinate multi-step workflows, adapt to changing conditions, and take action across multiple systems — with minimal human intervention at each step.

Unlike traditional AI that waits for a prompt, agentic AI initiates and executes complex tasks independently. Stanford Health Care, Mayo Clinic, and Sentara Health are among the first to deploy agentic AI in production clinical environments.

Regulatory & Compliance

FDA PCCP (Predetermined Change Control Plan)

A regulatory framework that allows manufacturers of AI-enabled medical devices to pre-authorize specified algorithm updates without submitting a new marketing application for each change.

The most significant regulatory development for adaptive AI in healthcare. A PCCP must include: Description of Modifications, Modification Protocol, and Impact Assessment.

AI & Machine Learning

RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)

An architecture that combines a large language model with a retrieval system that pulls relevant, authoritative information from a curated knowledge base at query time — grounding responses in verified sources.

RAG is the leading approach for reducing hallucination in healthcare AI. Instead of relying solely on training data, a RAG system retrieves the latest clinical guidelines...

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Data & Interoperability

FHIR R4

The current mandatory standard for healthcare data interoperability in the United States. FHIR defines how clinical data is structured, accessed, and exchanged through RESTful APIs.

FHIR R4 is the data access layer for healthcare AI. By July 2026, ONC requires EHRs to expose real-time access to patient data...

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Clinical AI

Hallucination (AI Hallucination)

When an AI model generates output that is factually incorrect, fabricated, or unsupported by its data, but presents it with the same confidence as accurate information.

The most dangerous AI risk in healthcare. An ambient documentation tool might fabricate a medication the patient never mentioned...

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Infrastructure & Security

Zero-Trust Architecture

A security model based on 'never trust, always verify' — every user, device, and connection must be authenticated and authorized for every action, even inside the network.

Zero-trust is the modern security standard for healthcare AI infrastructure. Every API call verified, every connection encrypted...

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6 categories. 26 letters. One shared vocabulary.

AI & Machine Learning

35+ terms

Clinical AI

15+ terms

Data & Interoperability

22+ terms

Regulatory & Compliance

18+ terms

Infrastructure & Security

16+ terms

Business & Operations

9+ terms

Why healthcare leaders bookmark this glossary

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Plain language, not academic jargon

Written for decision-makers who need to understand AI without a PhD in machine learning. Every definition is clear, concise, and actionable.

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Healthcare-specific context for every term

Generic AI glossaries don't tell you why RAG matters for clinical decision support or what FHIR R4 means for your AI agents. This one does.

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Current through 2026 regulations

Includes FDA PCCP, ONC HTI-1, QMSR, Colorado AI Act, and every regulatory term your compliance team is asking about right now.

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Share it across your organization

Drop it in the #ai-strategy Slack channel. Give it to every department head. When everyone speaks the same language, decisions happen faster.

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Vendor conversation cheat sheet

Know what questions to ask when a vendor says "agentic AI" or "FHIR-native." This glossary gives you the vocabulary to evaluate claims critically.

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Beautifully designed, print-friendly

Color-coded categories, clean typography, and a professional layout that looks as good printed on your desk as it does on screen.

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