episode of care

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 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 activity periods 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 an episode of disease, or and episode 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. Specializations / Generalizations of episode of care
Specialization of Generalization of
health related period health approach
Table 2. Associations of episode of care
Association from Association name Association to
1..* episode of care centred on 1..* health issue
0..* episode of care episodes of care bundle 1..* episodes of care bundle
0..* care provider manages 1..* episode of care
Figure 1. episode of care (UML Representation)
episode of careUML Representation