Encounter

Introduction

The Encounter data model serves as a comprehensive record of a patient's interactions with healthcare providers throughout their healthcare journey. This model captures essential information related to patient-provider encounters, including key details such as bed status, admission date and time, discharge disposition, and more. It's a fundamental component of healthcare data management, enabling the tracking and analysis of patient interactions within healthcare systems.

Use Case

Developers can utilize the Encounter data model for various use cases to query and analyze patient encounter data, enhancing healthcare processes and patient care. Some common use cases include:

Patient Journey Tracking: The Encounter data model allows developers to track and analyze a patient's entire healthcare journey. By querying this model, developers can retrieve information about admission, discharge, and transfer events, enabling a comprehensive view of the patient's experiences within the healthcare system.
Bedside Management: Developers can query the bed_status, bedside_datetime, and discharge_datetime fields within the Encounter data model to determine bed availability, occupancy status, and historical bed utilization patterns and capture the date and time of specific bedside events or actions related to patient care.
Admission and Discharge Analysis: Developers can query the admit_datetime and discharge_disposition fields to analyze admission and discharge trends. This information is crucial for optimizing resource allocation, predicting patient flow, and enhancing patient throughput.
Clinical Research: Researchers can utilize the Encounter data model to access patient encounter data for clinical studies and research projects. It provides valuable insights into patient demographics, medical conditions, and treatment outcomes.
Healthcare Analytics: Developers can aggregate and analyze encounter data to derive insights into hospital operations, patient demographics, lengths of stay, readmission rates, and other key performance indicators (KPIs). This data is vital for healthcare quality improvement initiatives.
Billing and Revenue Cycle Management: Billing and revenue cycle management systems can query the total_payments in the Encounter data model to reconcile patient encounters with billing records, helping ensure accurate and timely billing processes.
Quality Assurance: Healthcare institutions can use the Encounter data model to monitor and improve the quality of care provided to patients. Developers can query this model to identify trends related to patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and adherence to healthcare protocols.
Workflow Optimization: By analyzing encounter data, developers can identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in healthcare workflows. This information can inform process improvements and optimize the allocation of resources.

Data Fields

Field Name	Description	HL7 Mapping	Data Type	Label	Use Case
bed_status	Status of the bed	PV1-40	string	Bed Status	Admission: During the admission of a patient, this field may be used to specify the status of the bed assigned to the patient. Transfer: In the case of a patient transfer within a healthcare facility, this field can reflect changes in bed status.
discharge_disposition	Discharge disposition	PV1-36	string	Discharge Disposition	Patient Discharge: This field captures the disposition or destination of the patient following discharge from the healthcare facility.
type	Type of interaction	MSH-9	string	Type	"Type of interaction" typically refers to the nature or purpose of the communication or interaction between systems or entities in a healthcare context.
admit_datetime	Date time of admission	PV1-44	date	Admit Datetime	Patient Admission: This field captures the date and time when a patient is admitted to a healthcare facility.
alternate_visit_id	Alternative visit id	PV1-50/PID-18	string	Alternate Visit Id	Patient Visit Tracking: This field captures an alternate identifier for a patient's visit, which can be used to link visits across
readmission_indicator	Readmission indicator	PV1-13	string	Readmission Indicator	Readmission Tracking: This field is used to indicate whether a patient has been readmitted to the healthcare facility within a certain time frame following a prior discharge.
preadmit_number	Preadmit number	PV1-5	string	Preadmit Number	Pre-admission Identification: This field captures a pre-admission identifier, often used to link a patient's pre-admission information or records to the formal admission process.
admit_source	Source of admission like referral or transfer	PV1-14	string	Admit Source	Admit Source: This field captures the source or location from which a patient was admitted to the healthcare facility. It provides information about where the patient was before being admitted.
encounter_id	Encounter ID	PV1+MSH-10	string	Encounter ID	"Encounter ID" is a unique identifier assigned to a specific healthcare encounter within an Electronic Health Record (EHR) or healthcare information system.
total_charges	Total Charges	PV1-47	string	Total Charges	Total Charges: This field captures the total charges associated with a patient's healthcare encounter. These charges encompass the cost of services, treatments, procedures, and accommodations provided during the encounter.
xc_visit_id	XC visit id	Based on alternate_visit_id followed by visit_number followed by system generated ID	string	XC Visit ID	The "xc_visit_id" is a unique identifier used to group together all the interactions, procedures, tests, and check-ups associated with a single patient visit in a healthcare setting. This identifier helps in organising and managing various activities and data related to that specific patient encounter.
datetime	Date and time of the interaction	TXA-4, MSH-7, EVN-6, EVN-2, PV1-45	date	Datetime	The "Date and Time of the Interaction" refers to the specific date and time when a particular interaction or event occurred within a healthcare system. In the context of healthcare data, this timestamp is crucial for accurately tracking and documenting patient care events.
discharged_to_location	Discharge location	PV1+MSH-10	string	Discharged To Location	"Discharged To Location" in a healthcare context refers to the specific place or destination to which a patient is sent or released after being discharged from a healthcare facility.
account_status	Status of the account	PV1-41	string	Account Status	Account Status: This field captures the status of the financial account or billing account associated with a patient's healthcare encounter. It indicates the current financial status of the patient's account, including whether it's active, closed, suspended, or has other status values.
patient_type	Type of the patient	PV1-18	string	Patient Type	Patient Type: This field captures the type or status of the patient within the healthcare facility. It indicates whether the patient is an inpatient, outpatient, observation patient, etc.
rating	Rating provided by coders to the interaction	NA to HL7	string	Rating	Encounter or Patient
visit_number	Id of the visit	PV1-19-1	string	Visit Number	Visit Number: This field captures a unique identifier assigned to a patient's visit or encounter within a healthcare facility. It distinguishes one visit from another and helps in tracking a patient's history of visits.
preadmit_test_indicator	Preadmit test indicator	PV1-12	string	Preadmit Test Indicator	Preadmit Test Indicator: This field indicates whether preadmission tests, such as laboratory tests, diagnostic imaging, or other medical tests, have been performed or ordered for a patient before admission.
batch_id	Batch id	System Generated	string	Batch ID	"batch ID" is a unique identifier assigned to a group of messages that are logically grouped together for processing or transmission. Batching messages is a common practice in healthcare systems to efficiently manage and transmit multiple messages as a single unit
ambulatory_status	Ambulatory status	PV1-15	string	Ambulatory Status	Ambulatory Status: This field captures the patient's ambulatory status, which refers to the patient's ability to walk or move independently. It indicates whether the patient is ambulatory (able to walk), non-ambulatory (unable to walk), or has limited mobility.
total_payments	Total Payments	PV1-49	string	Total Payments	Financial Information: This field captures the total payments made or expected for a patient's care within a healthcare facility. It includes payments received from insurance, patients, or other sources.
total_adjustments	Total Adjustments	PV1-48	string	Total Adjustments	Total Adjustments: This field captures the total adjustments made to a patient's billing or financial account. These adjustments represent changes to the patient's charges or fees, which can include discounts, write-offs, corrections, or other financial adjustments.
hospital_service	Hospital service like cardiac, medical etc.	PV1-10	string	Hospital Service	Hospital Service: This field captures the type of hospital service the patient is receiving or will receive during their stay at the healthcare facility. It indicates whether the patient is an inpatient, outpatient, observation patient, etc.
reason	Reason for the interaction	EVN-4	string	Reason	Reason: This field captures the reason or explanation for the event described in the message. This can include the reason for creating a new record, modifying an existing one, or canceling a previous event.
visit_indicator	Indicator of visit	PV1-51	string	Visit Indicator	Visit Indicator: This field captures an indicator or status associated with the patient's visit or encounter. It can convey various types of information about the visit, such as whether it's a planned visit, an emergency visit, or other visit-related details.
facility	Facility concerned	PV1-3+MSH-10	string	Facility	Facility: This field captures the name or identifier of the facility or location where the patient is currently receiving healthcare services. This can include the name of the hospital, clinic, or other healthcare facility.
bedside_datetime	Bed side Date and time	PV1-44, EVN-6, EVN-2, MSH-7, PV1-45, TXA-4	date	Datetime	Bedside Documentation: This field captures the date and time of specific bedside events or actions related to patient care, such as procedures, assessments, or vital sign measurements.
discharge_datetime	Date time of discharge	PV1-45	date	Discharge Datetime	Discharge Date/Time: This field captures the specific date and time at which a patient is officially discharged from the healthcare facility. It marks the end of the patient's stay in that facility.
patient_id	Id of the patient	PID-3-1	string	Patient ID	Patient ID is a crucial identifier for a patient within the healthcare system. It is used to uniquely identify and link a patient's health records, visits, and medical history.
bundle_id	ID of bundle	MSH-10	string	Bundle ID	Bundle ID(Message Control ID) is used to uniquely identify and track HL7 messages. It helps ensure that messages are processed in the correct order and that message integrity is maintained.
current_patient_balance	Balance of the patient	PV1-46	string	Current Patient Balance	Current Patient Balance field in the PV1 segment provides information about the patient's current financial status, including outstanding charges, payments, and adjustments.
recorded_datetime	Date and time of recording of the interaction	ORC-9, EVN-2	date	Recorded Datetime	Recorded Date/Time: This field captures the specific date and time when the event described in the message was recorded or created. This information helps establish the timeline and context for the event.
lineage	This is lineage attribute	Fixed - HL7	string	Lineage	"lineage" refers to the information about the origin or source of a message. It helps trace the path of the message, indicating where it originated, how it was transmitted, and any intermediate systems or components it passed through before reaching its destination.
servicing_facility	Servicing facility	PV1-3-4	string	Servicing Facility	Servicing Facility indicates which healthcare facility or department is providing services to the patient during their visit.
diet_type	Diet type	PV1-38	string	Diet Type	Diet Type field specifies the type of diet prescribed or provided to the patient during their stay. It can include details such as a regular diet, diabetic diet, or other dietary restrictions.
admission_type	Type of the admission like Routine, Urgent etc.	PV1-4	string	Admission Type	Admission Type field describes the reason or method of the patient's admission, such as emergency, elective, or transfer.
financial_class	Financial class code	PV1-20	string	Financial Class	Financial Class field categorizes the patient's financial status or class, which can impact billing and financial processes.
message_type	Type of interaction	MSH-9-1	string	Type	Message Type field specifies the type of HL7 message being sent, such as admission, discharge, transfer, or other message types.
patient_class	Patient class like emergency, Inpatient etc.	PV1-2	string	Patient Class	Patient Class field indicates the class or type of the patient, such as inpatient, outpatient, or emergency.

Similar Models

Here are the models that are similar to the current data model

Encounter_Provider - It captures and gives information regarding the encounter of the patient with a specific type of provider

Encounter_Facility - It captures and gives information regarding the encounter of the patient with a specific type of facility

Document Provider

Encounter Facility