> ## 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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |