Glossary of Terms
Below you will find a list of definitions for some of the terms you will see throughout Documentation. The first instance of any glossary term on a page will appear as a link; hovering over the test will pop up a box with the definition of the term.
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A feature that allows you to perform copy, lock, and unlock actions as part of updating data on a sheet. Action code processing is performed after Axiom queries are refreshed and after calc methods are inserted or overwritten.
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An intersecting pair of action tags that define an action cell for processing. Intersections are defined by corresponding tags in the ActionCodes control row and control column.
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Users with full security rights to Axiom.
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Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; a branch of the US Department of Health and Human Services and the creator of specifications for PSIs, PDIs, PQIs and IQIs
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Defined names for reporting that can point to any table column in the system. Using aliases, you can change the data that your reports return without needing to update the report. For example, you can have an alias CYA1 (current year actuals) that points to the GL2017 table in 2017, and then moves to the GL2018 table in 2018.
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includes all encounters, regardless of payer
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All-Patient Refined Diagnosis-Related Group
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The column used to assign calc methods to dimension elements (such as accounts) for an Axiom query. The column name can be anything; "AssignCM" is how the column is referenced in the documentation.
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Axiom systems that are hosted on the Axiom Cloud. Technical requirements are managed by Axiom Support; no server software is installed on the client's premises.
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Each file opened in Axiom is represented by a tab in the area between the ribbon and the spreadsheet. These tabs display information about the file, and can be used to navigate between files, save files, and close files.
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Spreadsheet files that contain a Control Sheet to control various Axiom features. Axiom files fall into four main categories: reports, plan files, driver files, and plan templates. Axiom files are edited and viewed within the Desktop Client. In order to use an Axiom file in the Web Client, it must be form-enabled and viewed as an Axiom form.
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Web-enabled forms that can be used to present data and collect user input. Axiom forms can be used in any Axiom client, including the Web Client to support mobile and thin-client, multi-platform deployment. Axiom forms are created by using Axiom files and making them form-enabled.
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Specialized functions for use in Axiom files, to return data and system/file/feature information. Axiom functions are Microsoft Excel user-defined functions (UDFs).
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The user interface that presents lists of items in Axiom dialogs. Axiom grids provide a consistent methodology for sorting, grouping, and filtering information throughout the system.
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Reports that provide business intelligence-style reporting, with the ability to perform ad hoc analysis and explore your data. Axiom Intelligence reporting is currently available only to a subset of products. Consult your product documentation for more information.
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The features available on the Axiom tab of the ribbon.
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A method of querying data from the database and updating a specified range in the sheet with the data. Formatting and formulas can be applied to inserted data rows, using calc methods.
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Forms that display to users when they choose to insert or overwrite a calc method, prompting them to specify values to be used in the calc method, such as an account code.
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A set of calc methods that can be used to insert or update rows in plan files. Libraries are based on sheet names for templates/plan files.
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Variables that represent information to be placed in a calc method. Users are prompted to define values for the variables, such as selecting an account number, before the calc method is inserted or used to overwrite another calc method.
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Calc methods define the formatting and calculations for records being inserted into an Axiom query's data ranges. In plan files, they can also be used to insert new rows or change methodologies on existing rows.
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The dashboard design area. Components placed on the canvas will display on the rendered dashboard, populated with data as applicable.
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An indicator of severity for MS-DRGs; there are additional Complications or Commorbidities for the encounter
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service
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Column filters limit the data to be brought from a particular column in the field definition of an Axiom query. The filter is appended to the database column code in the field definition, delimited by a semi-colon -- for example: CYA1;dept.region='west'
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A spreadsheet plan file where the content is comprised of the parent plan file and multiple child utility files. The parent plan file has a defined "plan file context" that is shared with the child files, so that the parent and child files can behave as a unit.
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Control Sheets contain settings for various Axiom features such as Axiom queries and save-to-database, as well as sheet settings. Each Axiom file has a Control Sheet. Certain specialized features, such as file processing, use supplemental control sheets.
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The period of time that you want calculations to be based on for data tables. The current period can be set for the system and for individual tables.
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Dashboards are interactive and graphical presentations of data. Dashboards can be created using Axiom forms, which are web-enabled Axiom files.
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A web-based tool for drag-and-drop data analysis and reporting.
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Filters applied to Axiom query tags, to limit the data brought into that data range. Filters are placed within the tags, delimited by a semi-colon -- for example, [AQ1;dept.region='west'].
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The areas updated with data when an Axiom query is run. Data ranges are defined by the placement of [AQ#] and [Stop] tags in the insert control column or insert control row (depending on the orientation of the query). Filters can be applied to each data range, to limit the data in that range.
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A collection of tables and columns, for the purpose of defining a set of available data for use in features such as the Data Explorer.
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Database tables designed to hold imported historical data or calculated planning data.
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Words reserved by SQL Server for other processes. It is recommended to avoid use of database reserved words as table or column names whenever possible.
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General term for using either the Excel Client or the Windows Client, both of which are installed to the user's desktop.
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The key columns of a data table are often referred to as the "dimensions" of the data. These dimensions are typically linked to associated reference tables (such as ACCT and DEPT), which may be referred to as dimension tables.
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Database tables that are managed within an Axiom file. The table structure is created based on the document structure each time the data is saved. Primarily used for driver files in file groups.
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Diagnosis-Related Group
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The process of viewing the underlying data for a particular row in an Axiom file. There are several different types of drilling such as "drill-down," "drill-through," and "custom drilling."
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Files that contain rates, statistics, and other drivers to be referenced in your plan files to help calculate planning data. Driver files are the source documents to create driver tables (document reference tables).
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An alternate method of calc method controls that is used to dynamically determine where a calc method should be placed in a sheet.
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a profile that changes what data is pulled based on the user
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By using an Embedded Form component, a parent form can display one or more child forms within the same form instance. These forms can share values and leverage other special update and save behaviors.
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patient record of treatment in a facility from admit to discharge
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The Axiom client that operates using a Microsoft Excel interface.
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Standardized products are delivered as one or more "features" within the product package. A feature is a set of Axiom entities (files, tables, etc.) used to support a particular performance management activity.
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Sets of related files that are used to develop planning or financial data. File groups consist of plan templates, drivers, plan files, utilities, and calc method libraries.
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The blue bar across the top of pages in the Web Client. The Global Navigation Bar provides access to system-wide features.
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Bookmarks that can be defined in files to aid in navigation. Users can select bookmarks from the menu to be taken directly to that location.
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Columns in a reference table that are used for the purpose of defining grouping relationships for reporting and for security filters. For example, a department table might have grouping columns that assign each department to a region, country, or VP.
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Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project; the Nation's most comprehensive source of hospital data, including information on inpatient, ambulatory, and ED care
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Defined rollup levels for use in drilling ("drill down"). Hierarchies are defined at the reference table level and are then available to any data query that links to that table.
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A string column in the database that has been flagged as containing hyperlink data (either web URLs or Axiom file path). The column is flagged by defining a Hyperlink Label in the column properties
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A calc method that is defined directly within the target sheet for an Axiom query, rather than residing in a calc method library. All records in the query use the same in-sheet calc method. Reports can only use in-sheet calc methods, while templates/plan files can use either an in-sheet calc method or a calc method library.
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a subset of data specific to your facility or health system
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Individual processing units for Scheduler. Each job can have one or more tasks.
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Columns that define unique records in the table.
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KPI tables are a special class of reference table, designed to hold the properties necessary to display key performance indicators in reports. KPI tables can be used by KPI Panel components in Axiom forms and web reports.
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Columns that contain the set of allowed values for other columns ("validated columns").
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A table that is the target of a Lookup Column relationship in another table. For example, if the column GL2018.Acct links to the column Acct.Acct, then the Acct reference table is known as a "lookup reference table".
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Tables that contain a lookup column for another table.
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Length of Stay
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Files that are stored in the Axiom database.
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A designated sheet in a plan file template that end users can use to add new sheets to plan files.
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An indicator of severity for MS-DRGs; there are additional Major Complications or Commorbidities for the encounter
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A window that forces the user to interact with it before they can go back to using the parent application.
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Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Group
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An Axiom query configuration where the in-sheet calc method of one query is used to build out a second "child" query.
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Files that are not stored in the Axiom database. Most Axiom files must be managed in order to use the full range of Axiom features.
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Functions that are only calculated on demand, or if its dependencies have changed.
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Nationwide Readmissions Database; one of the AHRQ HCUP databases; used to provide benchmarks for readmissions measures
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File groups where the list of plan codes is not predefined. Instead, plan codes are created "on demand" by users as needed. Typically used for activities such as strategic planning or capital planning, where the particular projects to be planned for may not be known in advance.
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Axiom systems that are installed on the client's premises. All servers and technical requirements are managed by the client.
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A configuration where multiple Axiom queries update the same set of rows. The AQ# tags for each query are on the same row.
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proprietary software from Syntellis for analyzing healthcare data; now called Axiom Clinical Analytics
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an external profile for comparing your data to other facilities
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Plan files that are persisted in the database. When plan files are created from the template, the individual files are stored in the database for future use. Any changes saved to the individual plan files are retained in the file. Further updates to the template do not affect the persisted plan files unless the plan files are rebuilt from template (which would lose any changes made to the individual plan files).
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The table that contains the list of plan codes for a file group. Generally, each code in the table will have a plan file for developing plan data.
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The list of codes in the plan code table for a file group. For example, if the plan code table is DEPT, then each department is a plan code and by default will have its own plan file.
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A process dedicated to managing plan file progression through a set of defined steps. Plan file processes can be implemented using two different formats: 1) as a dedicated plan file process definition, or 2) as a plan file subprocess within a standard process definition.
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Files for modeling and saving planning data. Generally, each code or record of the designated plan code table (for example, department or project) has a unique plan file that is dynamically generated based on a template.
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The Axiom software platform, which can be used to build fully custom performance management solutions or used as the engine to support standardized products.
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A diagnosis code flag indicating if that condition was Present on Admission or not. Values include: Y (yes), N (no), U (insufficient evidence), W (provider unable to clinically determine), 1 (unreported/not used)
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The favorable direction of the measure; whether higher or lower measure values are preferred
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Potentially Preventable Complications
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Physician Practice Evaluation
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Potentially Preventable Readmissions
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The means of controlling and auditing a process through a defined set of steps. Each step has a defined action and an owner responsible for completing that action by a specified date.
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A standardized set of files and other components to support a particular performance management activity. Products are implemented using the Axiom software platform, and delivered using a product package.
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the user-specified set of criteria to filter an overall dataset on for creating subsets of data
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Patient Safety Indicators
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An Axiom file that is rebuilt every time it is accessed; no data is stored within the file itself. There are two levels of "rebuildable": 1) the file is persisted but all the queries in the file are rebuilt each time the file is accessed, 2) the file is virtual and is literally re-created each time the file is accessed.
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Tables that hold lists of information to be referenced elsewhere. Reference tables can be used for many purposes, from lists of planning codes to import mapping tables.
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The process of updating an Axiom file with data from the database.
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A dialog that displays to users when an Axiom file is refreshed, to prompt the user to select values that will be used to impact the data refresh in some way (such as to filter the data based on a selection).
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Variables that impact the data refresh for a file. Users are prompted to define values for the variables before the refresh occurs.
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Files that are designed to query data from the database for reporting purposes. Report files can also be used to perform calculations and save data, independent of a file group.
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Risk of Mortality (1-4)
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The tool used to install and configure Axiom.
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Severity of Illness (1-4)
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Scheduler jobs that are run as the system-managed "Scheduler Service" identity, on the system Scheduler server.
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The gray bar that displays across the top of browser-based Axiom files, as well as various feature pages of the Web Client. The Task Bar provides access to various tasks that are specific to the current area, page, or document.
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Specific activities to be performed by Scheduler, such as processing plan files or importing data. Each Scheduler job can contain one or more tasks.
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formerly Total Benchmark Solution, then Syntellis/Peak Software; now Syntellis Axiom Clinical Analytics
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The temporary table used when importing data into Axiom. Data is imported from the source file or table to the temp table, and then to the destination table. Data can be transformed in the temp table before importing into the destination table.
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Master files for plan file development. Each plan code is built based on an assigned template, and then populated with data specified to the plan code. Each file group can have one or more templates.
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A method of automatically "triggering" a Scheduler job to run after data is saved from plan files in a file group.
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A folder path that uses the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) instead of a mapped drive letter. For example: \\servername\foldername instead of I:\foldername.
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A column that has a defined lookup relationship with a column in another table, to define the valid values for the column. For example, if Acct.Acct is assigned as a Lookup Column for GL2014.Acct, then GL2014.Acct is known as a validated column and Acct.Acct is known as a lookup column.
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Columns that have been assigned a lookup column. The lookup column contains the set of allowed values for the validated column.
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Plan files that are not persisted in the database. Whenever the plan file is accessed, a temporary file is built from the template. When the plan file is closed, the temporary file is discarded. All data to be retained for future use must be saved to the database from the temporary file. The template must be designed as "rebuildable" in order to support virtual plan files.
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A table that is used to present data queried from other tables. Instead of storing data in the table itself, a SQL statement is used to generate a data view. Virtual tables can be used in Axiom queries and other data queries just like any other table.
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Functions that are calculated every time Excel recalculates, regardless of whether the function's dependencies have changed.
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The Axiom client that operates within a browser. Users can open and work with browser-based files, on various platforms. The Web Client also supports certain administrative activities.
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The Axiom client that operates using a .NET-based spreadsheet engine. Microsoft Excel is not required for use.
