> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.metriport.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Encounter

> Schema documentation for the Encounter table in the Metriport data model

An encounter encompasses the lifecycle from pre-admission, the actual encounter (for ambulatory encounters), and admission, stay and discharge (for inpatient encounters). During the encounter the patient may move from practitioner to practitioner and location to location.

**Reference Table:**

The `encounter_references` table contains normalized references from the encounter to other entities. It supports the following reference properties:

* **subject** (required): links to the patient involved in the encounter
* **participant.individual**: links to practitioners and other participants in the encounter
* **location.location**: links to locations where the encounter occurred
* **diagnosis.condition**: links to condition outcomes from the encounter

For detailed information about reference table structure and indexing, see the [Reference Tables documentation](/medical-api/handling-data/schema-v000/reference-tables).

**Encounter Table:**

**Primary Keys:**

* encounter\_id

**Foreign Keys:**

* patient\_id

| Column | Data Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| encounter\_id | varchar | Unique identifier for the encounter |
| patient\_id | varchar | Unique identifier for the patient |
| status | varchar | Status of the encounter. Possible values:<br />– <code>planned</code>: The encounter has not yet started.<br />– <code>arrived</code>: The patient is present for the encounter, but the encounter has not yet begun.<br />– <code>triaged</code>: The patient has been assessed for the priority of care.<br />– <code>in-progress</code>: The encounter has begun and the patient is present.<br />– <code>onleave</code>: The patient has temporarily left, but is expected to return.<br />– <code>finished</code>: The encounter has ended.<br />– <code>cancelled</code>: The encounter has been cancelled before it started.<br />– <code>entered-in-error</code>: The encounter was entered in error and should not be considered valid.<br />– <code>unknown</code>: The status of the encounter is unknown or cannot be determined. |
| start\_date | date | Start date of the encounter |
| end\_date | date | End date of the encounter |
| length\_of\_stay | integer | Length of stay in days |
| act\_code | varchar | ACT code for encounter class |
| act\_display | varchar | Human-readable description of ACT code |
| source\_class\_code | varchar | Source class code for encounter |
| source\_class\_display | varchar | Human-readable description of source class |
| source\_class\_system | varchar | Original class system from source system |
| type\_hl7\_code | varchar | HL7 encounter type code |
| type\_hl7\_display | varchar | Human-readable description of HL7 encounter type |
| source\_type\_code | varchar | Original type code from source system |
| source\_type\_display | varchar | Original type display from source system |
| source\_type\_system | varchar | Original type system from source system |
| discharge\_disposition\_hl7\_code | varchar | HL7 discharge disposition code |
| discharge\_disposition\_hl7\_display | varchar | Human-readable description of discharge disposition |
| source\_discharge\_disposition\_code | varchar | Original discharge disposition code from source system |
| source\_discharge\_disposition\_display | varchar | Original discharge disposition display from source system |
| source\_discharge\_disposition\_system | varchar | Original discharge disposition system from source system |
| reason\_snomed\_code | varchar | SNOMED CT reason code |
| reason\_snomed\_display | varchar | Human-readable description of SNOMED CT reason |
| meta\_source | varchar | Source document filename from FHIR meta.source |
| data\_source | varchar | **Deprecated.** Use `meta_source` instead. |
| data\_source\_ext | varchar | Integration source of the data, derived from FHIR extension |


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