An episode of care for a particular patient comprising a series of out-patient appointments/attendances in respect of one referral, managed by the same consultant or, in the case of shared care, by two or more consultants equally participating in care. Where care is provided by two or more Consultants within the same episode, one Consultant will take overriding responsibility for the patient and only one Consultant Outpatient Episode is recorded. Additional Consultants participating in the care of the patient are defined as Shared Care Outpatient Consultants.
A consultant out-patient episode:
|
a. |
can overlap with other consultant out-patient episodes or consultant episodes (hospital provider). |
|
b. |
starts on the date the patient first sees the consultant at an out-patient appointment/attendance. |
|
c. |
ends when one of the following occurs: Patient is not given a further out-patient appointment by the consultant. Patient has not attended for six months with no forthcoming appointment. |
Notes:
1. If condition deteriorates after discharge and the patient returns to a clinic run by the same consultant, this is a new episode (referral).
2. If a patient first sees a consultant during a DOMICILIARY CONSULTATION and then attends a clinic run by the same consultant, the consultant out-patient episode does not begin until the patient's first attendance at the consultant clinic.
3. If a patient first sees a consultant during a home visit which qualifies as an out-patient attendance, this is the start of a consultant out-patient episode, whether or not the visit is followed by attendance at a clinic run by the same consultant.
See also Out-Patient Attendances