Important: All content in this FHIR Implementation Guide is under development

DataStandardsWales-Encounter

The Encounter resource is used to describe a patient’s attendance at a healthcare facility. Encounters can take place in many forms, such as:

  • An emergency or scheduled hospital admission
  • An outpatient consultation
  • A visit to the GP, or virtual attendance via video link
  • Attendance at a mobile breast cancer screening clinic
  • Attendance at a mass vaccination centre to receive a vaccination
  • A visit from a health care professional to the patient’s home

The DataStandardsWales-Encounter profile is derived from the UK Core Encounter Profile. It defines additional rules for use within health and care organisations in Wales.

Formal Views of Profile Content

admissionMethodS I0..1Extension(CodeableConcept)
dischargeMethodS I0..1Extension(CodeableConcept)
emergencyCareDischargeStatusS I0..1Extension(CodeableConcept)
legalStatusI0..*Extension(Complex)
OutcomeOfAttendanceS I0..1Extension(CodeableConcept)
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
statusS Σ ?!1..1codeBinding
status1..1codeBinding
periodI1..1Period
classS Σ1..1CodingBinding
class1..1CodingBinding
periodI1..1Period
typeΣ0..*CodeableConceptBinding
serviceTypeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
priority0..1CodeableConcept
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
typeΣ0..*CodeableConceptBinding
periodI0..1Period
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
periodI0..1Period
lengthI0..1Duration
reasonCodeΣ0..*CodeableConceptBinding
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
use0..1CodeableConceptBinding
rank0..1positiveInt
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
admitSourceS0..1CodeableConceptBinding
reAdmission0..1CodeableConcept
dietPreference0..*CodeableConcept
specialCourtesy0..*CodeableConceptBinding
specialArrangement0..*CodeableConceptBinding
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
dischargeDisposition0..1CodeableConceptBinding
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
status0..1codeBinding
physicalType0..1CodeableConceptBinding
periodI0..1Period
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
admissionMethodS I0..1Extension(CodeableConcept)
dischargeMethodS I0..1Extension(CodeableConcept)
emergencyCareDischargeStatusS I0..1Extension(CodeableConcept)
legalStatusI0..*Extension(Complex)
OutcomeOfAttendanceS I0..1Extension(CodeableConcept)
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
statusS Σ ?!1..1codeBinding
status1..1codeBinding
periodI1..1Period
classS Σ1..1CodingBinding
class1..1CodingBinding
periodI1..1Period
typeΣ0..*CodeableConceptBinding
serviceTypeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
priority0..1CodeableConcept
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
typeΣ0..*CodeableConceptBinding
periodI0..1Period
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
periodI0..1Period
lengthI0..1Duration
reasonCodeΣ0..*CodeableConceptBinding
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
use0..1CodeableConceptBinding
rank0..1positiveInt
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
admitSourceS0..1CodeableConceptBinding
reAdmission0..1CodeableConcept
dietPreference0..*CodeableConcept
specialCourtesy0..*CodeableConceptBinding
specialArrangement0..*CodeableConceptBinding
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
dischargeDisposition0..1CodeableConceptBinding
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
status0..1codeBinding
physicalType0..1CodeableConceptBinding
periodI0..1Period
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
admissionMethodS I0..1Extension(CodeableConcept)
dischargeMethodS I0..1Extension(CodeableConcept)
emergencyCareDischargeStatusS I0..1Extension(CodeableConcept)
legalStatusI0..*Extension(Complex)
OutcomeOfAttendanceS I0..1Extension(CodeableConcept)
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
statusS Σ ?!1..1codeBinding
status1..1codeBinding
periodI1..1Period
classS Σ1..1CodingBinding
class1..1CodingBinding
periodI1..1Period
typeΣ0..*CodeableConceptBinding
serviceTypeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
priority0..1CodeableConcept
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
typeΣ0..*CodeableConceptBinding
periodI0..1Period
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
periodI0..1Period
lengthI0..1Duration
reasonCodeΣ0..*CodeableConceptBinding
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
use0..1CodeableConceptBinding
rank0..1positiveInt
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
admitSourceS0..1CodeableConceptBinding
reAdmission0..1CodeableConcept
dietPreference0..*CodeableConcept
specialCourtesy0..*CodeableConceptBinding
specialArrangement0..*CodeableConceptBinding
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
dischargeDisposition0..1CodeableConceptBinding
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
status0..1codeBinding
physicalType0..1CodeableConceptBinding
periodI0..1Period
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string
referenceΣ I0..1string
typeΣ0..1uriBinding
useΣ ?!0..1codeBinding
typeΣ0..1CodeableConceptBinding
systemΣ0..1uri
valueΣ0..1string
periodΣ I0..1Period
assignerΣ I0..1Reference(UK Core Organization)
displayΣ0..1string

Mandatory and Must Support Data Elements

When an element is mandatory (min=1), the data is expected to always be present. Elements marked with an S must be supported by both producing and receiving systems and SHOULD be populated if the data exists.

Each Encounter must have:

  1. A status
  2. A class (e.g. inpatient, emergency etc)

Each Encounter must support:

  1. An identifier
  2. A subject
  3. Partipant(s) in the encounter
  4. Hospitalization information
  5. Admission source
  6. Discharge desination
  7. Admission method *
  8. Discharge method *
  9. Emergency care discharge status *
  10. Outcome of attendance *

*see Implementation Guidance on UK Core extensions for the Encounter resource below

Implementation Guidance

  • The extensions listed below allow a number of the data elements listed above to be supported where not currently supported by the FHIR standard:
    • UK Core extensions
      • UKCore-AdmissionMethod supports the exchange of information representing the method by which a patient was admitted to hospital.
      • UKCore-DichargeMethod supports the exchange of information representing the method by which a patient was discharged from hospital.
      • UKCore-EmergencyCareDischargeStatus supports the exchange of information representing the status of a patient on discharge from an Emergency Care Department.
      • UKCore-OutcomeOfAttendance supports the exchange of information representing the outcome of an Outpatient attendance.


  • The Encounter.status field SHALL be populated with one of the following values defined by the FHIR standard:
    • planned
    • arrived
    • triaged
    • in-progress
    • onleave
    • finished
    • cancelled
    • entered-in-error
    • unknown

  • The Encounter.class field SHALL be populated using the values defined by the FHIR standard

Example Encounters

The following encounter example resources are provided within this guide: Emergency Admission, In-Progress Emergency Admission.

Mandatory Search Parameters

The following search parameters and search parameter combinations SHALL be supported:

  1. SHALL support searching for all Encounters using the subject search parameter:
    GET [base]/Encounter?subject={Type/}[id]
    
    Example:
    1. GET [base]/Encounter?subject=Patient/23
    2. GET [base]/Encounter?subject:Patient.identifier=https://fhir.nhs.uk/Id/nhs-number|9912003444

      Implementation Notes: Fetches a bundle of all Encounter resources for the specified subject (how to search by reference)

Optional Search Parameters

  1. SHOULD support searching using the combination of the episode-of-care search parameter:

    GET [base]/Encounter?episode-of-care=[id]
    

    Example:

    1. GET \[base\]/Encounter?episode-of-care=125

      Implementation Notes: Fetches a bundle of all Encounter resources for the specified episode of care. (how to search by reference)