Canadian Health Information Management Association Practice Exam

All health treatment and expenditures related to one acute care inpatient or day surgery visit is a/an:

1. Encounter.

2. Episode of care.

3. LOS.

4. Primary care visit.

The correct answer is: Episode of care.

The term that accurately describes all health treatment and expenditures related to one acute care inpatient or day surgery visit is "episode of care." This concept encompasses the entire continuum of services provided to a patient during this singular event, including pre-admission assessments, the actual surgical or inpatient care, and post-discharge follow-up. It captures the comprehensive nature of care delivered within that timeframe, making it distinct from other options. In contrast, "encounter" refers to a specific interaction between a patient and healthcare provider, often documenting a single visit rather than an entire treatment episode. "LOS," which stands for Length of Stay, specifically quantifies the duration of hospitalization but does not encapsulate all treatment and expenditure aspects. Lastly, "primary care visit" denotes an outpatient consultation typically with a general practitioner, which differs from the clearly defined context of an acute care inpatient or day surgery setting.