Numbers and types of patients who receive medical services at a specific hospital or health care program (e.g., classifications by homes, socioeconomic factors, diagnoses, or severity of illnesses).

Hospital or health plan study to find out the geographical distribution of patients under various health programs. Such studies determine the effectiveness of programs or help when developing new health care services.

Members (patients) of a managed care plan who are assigned to a provider.

Questionnaire designed to collect demographical data and essential facts about medical insurance coverage for each patient seen for professional services; also called patient information form.

Protection of health care recipients from being harmed or receiving damage from medical services.

Medical and related health care, provided by a physician or health care facility, that is covered by an insurance policy or program.

Patient’s situation at the time of discharge or transfer when leaving an acute care hospital as an inpatient or outpatient. Also see patient status code and patient discharge status.

Two-digit number indicating the patient’s disposition as of the ending date of service for the period of care reported on the claim being submitted (e.g., routine discharge, discharged to another facility, still a patient, expired). Patient status codes are inserted in Field 17 of the Uniform Bill (UB-04) inpatient hospital billing claim form. This information is also required for outpatient claims for Medicare billing purposes. Also see patient status and patient discharge status.