Short, jargon-free explanations of terms used across this site.
Terms used on this site
These are everyday explanations, not formal definitions. If a word on this site is not listed here and you are unsure what it means, get in touch and we will add it.
Owner time
The hours an owner spends on decisions, hard conversations and routine work that could often be handled by someone else on the team.
Diary
The practice’s appointment schedule, whatever system it lives in. A full, well-managed diary is one of the clearest signs of a healthy practice.
Cancellation policy
The practice’s agreed rule for what happens when a patient cancels late or does not show up, and how that rule is applied fairly and consistently.
Staying in care
When a patient keeps coming back and finishes the plan of care they started, rather than drifting away before it is complete.
Self-score
A short, private self-assessment that shows where a practice is strong and where it is stuck, across areas like the diary, patients, team and money.
Playbook
Aurora’s written content: plain-language explanations and exercises for running a practice, organised by topic.
Claim
A request sent to a health fund or scheme for payment for a service that has been delivered.
Reconciliation
Checking that the money that has actually landed in the bank matches what the practice expected to be paid, and chasing down the difference when it does not.
Front desk
The reception function of a practice: the people and process that greet patients, manage the diary and handle the first conversation about money.
Team and development
How a practice hires, trains and supports its practitioners and staff so good people stay and keep improving.
Systems and software
The tools a practice uses to run its diary, billing and patient records, and how well those tools fit together day to day.
Operating system
Used here in the business sense, not the computer sense: the overall way a practice is run day to day, not any single piece of software.
Practice review call
A conversation about where a practice is currently stuck and whether Aurora’s playbook is a sensible fit, with no obligation to commit to anything.
Booking calendar
The external tool embedded on this site that lets you pick a time for a call, separate from WordPress and handled under its own privacy terms.