An interaction between one or more healthcare provider(s) with one non-admitted patient, which must contain therapeutic/clinical content and result in a dated entry in the patient's medical record.

Hospital non-admitted patient care:

This definition applies to non-admitted hospital patients and is not intended to apply to community based services.

The Non-admitted patient (NAP) data set is intended to capture instances of healthcare provision from the point of view of the patient. This may be for assessment, examination, consultation, treatment and/or education.

One service event is recorded for each interaction, regardless of the number of healthcare providers present.

Events broken in time:

The period of interaction can be broken but still regarded as one service event if it was intended to be unbroken in time. This covers those circumstances in which treatment during a service event is temporarily interrupted for unexpected reasons, for example, a healthcare provider is called to assess another patient who requires more urgent care. Where a healthcare provider is unable to complete the interaction, it is considered to be a service event only if the definition of service event (above) is met.

Setting:

Service events can occur in an outpatient clinic or other setting. 

Mode:

Service events delivered via Information and Communication Technology (ICT) (including but not limited to telephone and where the patient is participating via a video link) are included if:

•  they are a substitute for a face-to-face service event, and
•  the definition of a service event (above) is met.

Accompanied patients:

If a patient is accompanied by a carer/ relative, or the carer/relative acts on behalf of the patient with or without the patient present (e.g. mother of 2 year old patient or carer for incapacitated patient), only the patient’s service event is recorded unless the carer/relative interaction meets the definition of a service event (above).

Note: carer refers to an informal carer only.

Service events delivered in groups:

Care provided to two or more patients by the same service provider(s) at the same time can also be referred to as a group session.

One service event is recorded for each patient who attends a group session regardless of the number of healthcare providers present, where the definition of a service event (above) is met.

Should a patient receive care both as an individual and as part of a group within a single session, this must be reported as two separate service events.

Service requests:

A service event is the result of a service request (including formal referral and self-referral or attendance at a walk-in clinic).

Activities which do not meet the definition of a service event include:

•  Work-related services provided in clinics for staff.
•  Non-attendances for a booked outpatient or booked outpatient services that did not go ahead.

Where providers from multiple clinics, establishments or locations are present at a service event, only one service event should be reported nationally. This reflects the reality that, where providers from different organisations are involved, they are likely to record service events separately. This will be resolved into one service event, where possible, by the jurisdiction centrally before national reporting.

A descriptor of the overall nature of a service provided.