Glossary
Clinic queue glossary
Plain definitions of the words used around clinic queues, OPD bookings and DoctorIn: tokens and the running token, OPD batches and timings, doctor availability status, UPI deposits and UTR numbers, and the parts of a DoctorIn setup, from the QR stand to the reception panel. Each term links to the page that covers it in more depth.
Last updated: Written by Surya Raj Salve
Queue and token terms
- Token
- A number given to each patient in the order they arrive or book. The doctor sees patients in token order, so the token number tells a patient where they are in the queue.
- Running token
- The token number the doctor is seeing now. Patients compare it with their own number to judge how long they will wait.
- Token system
- Any method a clinic uses to issue tokens and show the running token: a whiteboard, printed slips, a display screen, or a web page patients open on their phone.
- QR token system
- A token system in which patients scan a QR code to open a web page showing the running token. No app or printed slip is needed.
- Live token board
- The part of a DoctorIn clinic page that shows the running token and the next ones. It shows token numbers only, never patient names.
- Waiting-room TV view
- A full-screen, landscape version of the live token board for a TV in the waiting room. Included in Multispecialty Pro.
In depth: clinic token system and live token display.
Clinic and OPD terms
- OPD
- Outpatient department: the part of a clinic or hospital where patients consult a doctor without being admitted.
- OPD batch
- A block of consulting hours, such as a morning batch and an evening batch. Patients book a slot within a batch.
- OPD timings
- The hours during which a doctor consults, usually listed per batch, along with notices such as holidays or a late start.
- Doctor availability status
- A label telling patients whether the doctor can see them now. In DoctorIn, reception sets it to Available, In Surgery or Break.
- Walk-in
- A patient who arrives without booking a slot and takes a token at the desk.
- No-show
- A patient who books a slot and does not come. No-shows leave slots empty that another patient could have used.
- Prank booking
- A booking made with no intention of coming, often with a false name or number. A small deposit discourages it.
In depth: doctor availability status.
Booking and payment terms
- UPI
- Unified Payments Interface: India's instant bank-to-bank payment system, used through apps on a phone.
- UTR
- Unique Transaction Reference: the 12-digit number on a UPI payment receipt. Reception uses it to match a booking to a payment.
- Booking deposit
- A small amount paid when booking a slot. In DoctorIn it is ₹100 by UPI, adjusted in the consultation bill at the desk, so it is not an extra charge.
- WhatsApp booking
- Booking a slot by sending the clinic a WhatsApp message. In DoctorIn, the message is prefilled with the patient's name, contact, batch and UTR.
In depth: no-show protection and WhatsApp appointment booking.
DoctorIn product terms
- QR stand
- A desk stand at reception holding the clinic's QR code. Smart Clinic and Multispecialty Pro include a premium acrylic stand; Starter Desk uses a printable laminated QR.
- Clinic page
- The clinic's own mobile web page, opened by scanning the QR. It runs at [clinic].doctorin.online or a custom domain.
- Reception panel
- The PIN-protected page at /admin that reception uses on a phone or tablet to move the token and set the doctor's status.
- Daily reset
- Setting the token back to the start at the beginning of each day. One click on the reception panel; automatic on Multispecialty Pro.
- HMIS
- Hospital management information system: software for a hospital's records, billing and operations. DoctorIn is not an HMIS.
- EMR
- Electronic medical record: software that stores patients' medical histories. DoctorIn is not an EMR and stores no medical records.
In depth: how DoctorIn works.