This glossary collects the concepts podiatrists and clinics search for most when digitizing their practice. Use it as a quick reference.
C
- Chiropody (routine foot care)
- Basic maintenance podiatry treatment: nail cutting, removal of hard skin and skin care of the foot.
- Clinical management and billing
- Clinical management organizes care and its records; billing handles charges and payment workflows. A patient chart or appointment calendar does not establish support for a specific payer or tax integration.
- Clinical record (EHR)
- The set of documents recording a patient's health information: history, diagnoses, treatments and progress.
- Cloud software (SaaS)
- Software accessed over the internet from a browser, with no local install and data hosted on secure servers.
D
- Data export
- A copy of records in a format usable outside the platform. Test which fields and attachments it includes, whether relationships remain understandable and whether the files can be opened.
- Diabetic foot
- A complication of diabetes affecting the feet through nerve and vascular damage, with risk of ulcers and infections.
H
- Heloma (corn)
- A localized, painful hyperkeratotic lesion with a central core, caused by pressure on one point of the foot.
- Hyperkeratosis (callus)
- Thickening of the outer skin layer from repeated pressure or friction, common on the sole of the foot.
I
- Informed consent
- A document in which the patient accepts a treatment after receiving clear information on risks and alternatives.
L
- Laterality
- Identification of the right or left side when documenting a finding. Include the specific region as well; a condition name alone does not establish its location.
O
- Onychocryptosis (ingrown toenail)
- A condition where the nail edge grows into the surrounding skin, causing pain, inflammation and sometimes infection.
- Onychomycosis
- A fungal infection of the nail causing thickening, discoloration and brittleness.
P
- Patient history
- Information reported by a patient about their reason for attending and relevant background. Distinguish what the patient reports from the clinician's observed findings.
- Patient record identifier
- A code linking one person's visits and documents within a practice. Keep it consistent across records, attachments and follow-up notes.
- Podiatry
- The health discipline devoted to the study, diagnosis and treatment of conditions and deformities of the feet.
- Progress note
- A dated entry documenting a follow-up visit, the clinician's findings, assessment and actions, and its author. It adds to the record rather than replacing earlier entries.
Use documentation terms in context
These fictional writing examples distinguish reported information, location and follow-up. They are documentation examples, not diagnoses or treatment instructions.
| Term | Example use | What it clarifies |
|---|---|---|
| Patient history | The patient reports a change since the last visit and when it began. | Reported information versus an observed finding. |
| Laterality | Left foot, with the specific examined region recorded. | Side and location. |
| Progress note | A new dated, attributed entry linked to the previous visit. | A follow-up entry rather than overwriting the earlier record. |
Explore clinical documentation
- Digital podiatry clinical records
Organizing visits and related documentation.
- HCPC: record keeping
Professional UK guidance; requirements in other markets should be checked separately.
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