episode of care

episode of care, health issue related episode

health related period during which care activities are performed to address one health issue as identified by one care professional

EXAMPLE 1 Period where a urinary tract infection is managed

EXAMPLE 2 Period where a cholecystectomy is performed

Note 1 to entry: An episode of care encompasses all care activity period elements related to the same health issue

Note 2 to entry: An episode of care starts with the very first contact with a care provider for a health circumstance and it ends after the completion of all care activities related to the last contact with that care provider for the same health circumstance

Note 3 to entry: For practical reasons (e.g. the need to state start and end dates) and also because it relates specifically to a health issue defined by a given care professional an episode of care does not necessarily coincide with an 'episode of illness' (or of disease, or of any other kind of health issue

Note 4 to entry: During a mandated period of care several health issues may be handled and as such be linked to several episodes of care These episodes of care are said to be 'concurrent'.

Table 1. Associations of **episode of care**
Specialization of			Generalization of
health related period			health approach

Association from		Association name		Association to
1..*	episode of care	episodes of care bundle		0..*	episodes of care bundle
0..*	episode of care	is centred on		1..*	health issue
1..*	care provider	manages		0..*	episode of care

episode of careUML Representation — Figure 1. episode of care (UML Representation)