Glossary
Terms and definitions used in PATH DRC EMR documentation.
A
Address Hierarchy
A hierarchical structure of geographic locations (country, province, district, etc.) used for patient address entry with cascading dropdowns.
Air-Gapped
A network security measure where a computer or network is physically isolated from unsecured networks. PATH DRC EMR supports air-gapped installation via Docker image bundles.
B
Backend
The OpenMRS server component that handles business logic, data storage, and REST APIs. Runs on Tomcat with Java.
BuildKit
Docker’s modern build engine that provides improved caching, parallel builds, and secret handling.
C
CIEL
Columbia International eHealth Laboratory - a comprehensive medical terminology dictionary used as the primary concept source in OpenMRS implementations.
Concept
A clinical or administrative term in OpenMRS. Concepts define observations, diagnoses, procedures, and other medical data elements.
Concept Source
An external terminology system (like CIEL, ICD-10, or SNOMED) that provides standardized concept definitions.
Content Package
A collection of configuration files (concepts, forms, locations, etc.) that define clinical content for an OpenMRS implementation.
D
Distribution
A configured OpenMRS package that includes the core platform, modules, and content packages. PATH DRC EMR is a distribution.
Docker
A platform for developing, shipping, and running applications in containers. PATH DRC EMR runs as Docker containers.
Docker Compose
A tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications using a YAML configuration file.
E
Encounter
A clinical interaction between a patient and healthcare provider(s) at a specific time and location.
Encounter Type
A classification of encounters (e.g., Registration, Vitals, Consultation) that determines what data can be collected.
ESM (Extensible Single-Page Module)
The architecture for OpenMRS 3.0 frontend modules built with React and the carbon design system.
F
Form
A data collection interface used to record clinical information. In OpenMRS 3.0, forms are defined as JSON schemas.
Frontend
The user interface component of OpenMRS 3.0, built as a Single Page Application (SPA) using React.
G
Gateway
The nginx reverse proxy that routes requests between the frontend and backend services.
Global Property
A system-wide configuration setting stored in the OpenMRS database.
GHCR (GitHub Container Registry)
GitHub’s container image registry where PATH DRC EMR Docker images are published.
I
Identifier Type
A classification for patient IDs (e.g., Medical Record Number, National ID) with validation rules.
Initializer
An OpenMRS module that loads configuration from files (CSV, JSON, XML) during system startup.
L
Legacy UI
The traditional OpenMRS user interface based on Spring MVC. Used for some administrative functions.
Location
A place where clinical services are provided (hospital, clinic, ward, room).
Location Tag
A label that defines capabilities of a location (Login Location, Visit Location, Admission Location).
M
MariaDB
The open-source relational database used by PATH DRC EMR (compatible with MySQL).
Maven
A build automation tool used for Java projects. PATH DRC EMR uses Maven to build distributions.
Module
A pluggable component that extends OpenMRS functionality (e.g., reporting, billing, laboratory).
N
nginx
A high-performance web server used as the gateway/reverse proxy in PATH DRC EMR.
O
O3 (OpenMRS 3.0)
The current generation of OpenMRS with a modern React-based frontend and microfrontend architecture.
Observation (Obs)
A single piece of clinical data recorded about a patient (e.g., weight, diagnosis, test result).
OCL (Open Concept Lab)
A cloud-based platform for collaborative concept management. PATH DRC EMR imports concepts from OCL.
OpenMRS
An open-source electronic medical record platform designed for resource-constrained environments.
P
Patient Identifier
A unique code used to identify a patient (e.g., medical record number).
Person Attribute
Additional demographic or administrative data about a person (e.g., phone number, occupation).
Program
A structured clinical program (e.g., HIV care, TB treatment) with defined workflows and states.
Provider
A person or organization that provides clinical services. Linked to user accounts for clinical documentation.
R
Restic
A backup program used by PATH DRC EMR for automated data backups.
REST API
The web service interface for programmatic access to OpenMRS data.
Role
A named collection of privileges that can be assigned to users.
S
SPA (Single Page Application)
A web application that loads a single HTML page and dynamically updates content. OpenMRS 3.0 uses this architecture.
Site
A specific deployment location with customized configuration (e.g., akram, libikisi).
T
Tomcat
The Java application server that runs the OpenMRS backend.
U
UUID (Universally Unique Identifier)
A 36-character identifier used to uniquely identify records across systems.
V
Visit
A period of time when a patient is receiving care at a location. Contains one or more encounters.
Visit Type
A classification of visits (e.g., Outpatient, Inpatient).
Volume (Docker)
A persistent storage mechanism for Docker containers. PATH DRC EMR uses volumes for database and file storage.
W
Workflow
A sequence of states within a program that a patient progresses through (e.g., Pre-treatment → On Treatment → Completed).
Workflow State
A specific status within a workflow (e.g., “On Treatment”, “Lost to Follow-up”).