Dictionary

D

Deviance ResidualConceptDeviance Residuals, GLM Residual

A deviance residual is a signed measure of how poorly a generalised linear or survival model fits each patient; in a GLM its squares sum to the deviance.

Device TherapyTermDevice-Based Treatment, Therapeutic Device Use

A treatment approach using an implanted or external medical device rather than medication alone, such as a pacemaker or insulin pump.

DevolutionConceptAuthority Transfer, Subnational Autonomy

Devolution is the transfer of formal responsibility and power over health services from central government to elected regional or local governments.

DFBETATermCoefficient Change Diagnostic, Delta-Beta

A regression diagnostic measuring how much a coefficient would change if a particular observation were removed, identifying disproportionately influential data points.

DFBETASTermStandardised DFBETA, Scaled Coefficient Change

A standardised version of the DFBETA diagnostic, scaled by its standard error, allowing influence of observations to be compared consistently across models.

DFLE CalculationConceptDisability-Free Life Expectancy Calculation, DFLE Estimation

The process of computing disability-free life expectancy using a life table combining age-specific mortality rates with age-specific disability prevalence.

Diabetes ComplicationsConceptDiabetic Complications, Sequelae of Diabetes

Long-term health consequences of poorly controlled diabetes, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, and eye disease.

Diabetes Control RateTermGlycaemic Control Rate, Diabetes Target Attainment

A measure of the proportion of diagnosed diabetes patients achieving recommended blood glucose control targets, an indicator of programme effectiveness.

Diabetes EconomicsTermDiabetes Cost-Effectiveness, Diabetes HTA

The application of health economic evaluation to diabetes prevention, diagnosis, and management, spanning medication, monitoring technology, and complication prevention.

Diabetes ScreeningTermDiabetes Case-Finding, Glucose Screening

Testing conducted to identify people with undiagnosed diabetes or at high risk, typically targeting populations with known risk factors.

Diabetic NephropathyTermDiabetic Kidney Disease, DKD

A serious diabetes complication involving progressive kidney damage, potentially leading to kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplantation.

Diabetic NeuropathyTermDiabetic Nerve Damage, Diabetic Polyneuropathy

A diabetes complication involving nerve damage, most commonly in the feet and legs, risking pain, numbness, and foot ulcers.

Diabetic RetinopathyTermDiabetic Eye Disease, Retinal Diabetic Damage

A diabetes complication involving damage to the retina's blood vessels, potentially causing vision loss if not adequately monitored and treated.

Diagnosis CoverageTermDiagnosis Rate, Detection Coverage

A measure of the proportion of people with a specific condition who have actually been diagnosed, capturing the gap between prevalence and recognition.

Diagnosis Related GroupConceptDRG, Inpatient Case Grouping

A diagnosis related group (DRG) is a category of inpatient stays with similar diagnoses, procedures and expected costs, used to pay or fund hospitals.

Diagnosis-Based Risk ScoreConceptDxCG, Condition-Based Risk Score

A diagnosis-based risk score uses a person's recorded diagnoses and demographics to predict their healthcare costs relative to a population average.

Diagnostic AccuracyConceptTest Accuracy, Diagnostic Correctness

Diagnostic accuracy is how well a test agrees with a reference standard in detecting a target condition, usually reported as sensitivity and specificity.

Diagnostic ModelConceptDiagnosis Prediction Model, Diagnostic Classifier

A diagnostic model is a multivariable prediction model estimating the probability a condition is present now, to guide testing, referral and treatment.

Diagnostic SafetyConceptDiagnostic Error Prevention, Safe Diagnosis

Diagnostic safety is avoiding harm and wasted care from missed, delayed or wrong diagnoses, through correct, timely diagnoses explained to patients.

Dialysis CentreTermDialysis Unit, Renal Dialysis Facility

A specialist facility providing dialysis treatment for kidney failure patients, typically offering haemodialysis on a recurring, scheduled basis.

Difference-in-DifferencesConceptDiD, Diff-in-Diff

Difference-in-differences (DiD) estimates a policy's causal effect by comparing outcome changes over time in an exposed group and a comparison group.

Differential DiscountingConceptDifferential Discount Rates, Split-Rate Discounting

Differential discounting applies a lower annual discount rate to future health effects, such as QALYs, than to future costs in an economic evaluation.

Differential PricingConceptPrice Differentiation, Market-Specific Pricing

Differential pricing is charging different prices for the same patented medicine in different markets, typically lower where ability to pay is lower.

DiffusionConceptInnovation Spread, Population Uptake, Technology Diffusion

Diffusion in health economics is the spread of a new technology's use among eligible patients and providers over time, shaping costs and health gains.

Diffusion of InnovationConceptRogers Diffusion Theory, Innovation Adoption Theory

Diffusion of innovation is Rogers' theory of how new treatments and practices spread through a health system over time, via communication and imitation.

Digital AdherenceTermDigital Health Adherence, App Engagement Adherence

The degree to which patients engage with and consistently use a digital health technology, such as an app or monitoring device, as intended.

Digital AdoptionConceptDigital Technology Adoption, Digital Uptake

Digital adoption is the uptake and continued use of a digital health technology by patients, carers, clinicians or the organisations that provide care.

Digital DivideConceptDigital Access Gap, Technology Access Divide

The digital divide is the gap between people who can access, use and benefit from digital technology and those who cannot, often along social lines.

Digital EngagementTermDigital Health Engagement, User Interaction with Digital Tools

The degree to which patients or users actively interact with and use a digital health technology, such as an app or portal.

Digital EquityConceptDigital Health Equity, Fair Digital Access

Digital equity in health is fair access to digital health care, with the devices, connection and skills to use it, and fair outcomes across social groups.

Digital Evidence FrameworkConceptDigital Health Evidence Standard, Evidence Framework for Digital Tools

A digital evidence framework sets the evidence a digital health technology should show before it is bought, scaled to its clinical and financial risk.

Digital HealthConceptDigital Healthcare, Health Digitalisation, eHealth

Digital health is the use of digital technologies, such as apps, wearables, telemedicine and AI, to improve health and the delivery of health care.

Digital ImplementationConceptDigital Health Implementation, Digital Rollout

Digital implementation is the work of putting a digital health technology into routine care with workflow redesign, integration, training and governance.

Digital InteroperabilityConceptHealth Data Interoperability, System Interoperability

Digital interoperability is the ability of different digital health systems to exchange data and use it with a shared meaning, without manual re-entry.

Digital LiteracyTermDigital Health Literacy, Technology Literacy

An individual's ability to effectively find, evaluate, and use information through digital technologies, a specific dimension of overall health literacy.

Digital OutcomeTermDigital Health Outcome, Digital Endpoint

A health or economic outcome measure specifically relevant to assessing a digital health technology's impact, including engagement or retention rates.

Digital RegulationTermDigital Health Regulation, SaMD Regulation

The body of rules governing the development, approval, and use of digital health technologies, including software-based devices and decision support tools.

Digital ReimbursementTermDigital Health Reimbursement, DTx Reimbursement

The policies governing whether and how digital health technologies, such as mobile apps or remote monitoring platforms, are covered and paid for.

Digital SafetyTermDigital Health Safety, Safety of Digital Tools

The degree to which a digital health technology avoids causing unintended harm, covering both clinical safety and data security or algorithmic bias.

Digital TherapeuticConceptDTx, Digital Therapeutics

A digital therapeutic (DTx) is health software that treats or alleviates a disease by delivering a medical intervention of proven therapeutic benefit.

Digital Value AssessmentTermDigital Health Value Assessment, Digital HTA Value

An evaluation of a digital health technology's overall value, incorporating clinical effectiveness, cost, and user engagement, adapted for software-based interventions.

Dimension-Specific QoLTermSingle-Dimension QoL, Domain-Specific QoL

A quality of life measure focused on a single dimension, such as physical functioning, rather than combining several into an overall score.

Diminishing ReturnsConceptDecreasing Returns, Marginal Product Decline

Diminishing returns is the eventual fall in extra health from each added unit of care, such as another screening round, when other inputs stay fixed.

Direct BenefitTermParticipant Benefit, Personal Trial Benefit

A potential positive outcome a research participant may personally experience from their participation, such as access to an investigational treatment.

Direct ContractingTermDirect Provider Contracting, Direct-to-Provider Contracting

An arrangement where a payer contracts directly with providers or an accountable care organisation, bypassing traditional insurance intermediaries.

Direct CostConceptDirect Costs, Directly-Attributable Cost

Direct cost is a cost traced to a service or patient or, in economic evaluation, resources used for care or due to illness, such as medicines and travel.

Direct ElicitationConceptDirect Valuation, First-Hand State Valuation, Direct Utility Assessment

Direct elicitation is the valuation of a health state by asking people to trade it against life years or risk of death, rather than through a value set.

Direct EvidenceTermWithin-Trial Comparative Evidence, Direct Trial Evidence

Within network meta-analysis, evidence comparing two treatments from trials in which those treatments were directly compared, unlike indirect evidence.

Direct Graduate Medical EducationTermDGME, Direct GME Funding

A US Medicare funding stream reimbursing teaching hospitals for direct costs of training resident physicians, such as salaries and supervision.

Direct Medical CostTermDirect Healthcare Cost, Medical Service Cost

A direct cost incurred specifically for the provision of medical care, such as physician fees, hospital charges, or medication.