For AI agents: the documentation index is at /docs/payerbox/llms.txt. A Markdown version of this page is available at /docs/payerbox/data-integration/uscdi/encounters.md or by requesting it with the Accept: text/markdown header.
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Encounter Information

Datasets

US Core 6.1.0 maps each USCDI element to FHIR.

DatasetUS Core 6.1.0 target profile(s)
encountersUS Core Encounter
locationsUS Core Location

encounters

One row per encounter. Several diagnoses or participants stay one row: list the keys ;-separated.

ColumnRequiredFormat / valuesExample
encounter_idYesstable encounter key; the key other datasets referenceENC-9912
encounter_id_systemYesURI of the identifier system; a URL you control or an OIDurn:oid:2.16.840.1.113883.3.99.2
patient_identifierYespatient keyMRN-4471903
statusYesplanned, arrived, triaged, in-progress, onleave, finished, cancelled, entered-in-error, unknown encounter-statusfinished
classYesAMB ambulatory, IMP inpatient, EMER emergency, OBSENC observation v3-ActEncounterCodeAMB
type_codeYesCPT or SNOMED CT code(s), ;-separated, with type_system; CPT if omitted US Core Encounter Type99213
period_startRecommendeddatetime2026-04-18T09:00:00-04:00
period_endRecommendeddatetime2026-04-18T09:30:00-04:00
reason_codeIf availableSNOMED CT or ICD-10-CM code(s), ;-separated, with reason_system; SNOMED CT if omitted encounter-reason29857009 chest pain
location_idRecommendedlocations keyLOC-221
diagnosis_condition_idIf availableconditions key(s), ;-separatedCND-4501
participant_npiIf available10 digits, ;-separated1407006835
discharge_disposition_codeIf applicableNUBC patient discharge status code, as carried in UB-04 field 17, with discharge_disposition_system AHA NUBC Patient Discharge Status01 discharged to home or self-care
service_provider_npiIf available10 digits1234567893
  • reason_code is the presenting complaint, not the diagnosis (diagnosis_condition_id). Its binding is preferred, so an ICD-10-CM code off the claim is accepted.
  • NUBC is a billing code set, not clinical terminology: send the discharge status off the claim. AHA licenses the codes, so the linked page cannot list them.

locations

One row per physical location: a clinic, a hospital ward, a lab draw station.

If you already send the Provider Directory feed, list here only the locations missing from it, such as a facility outside your network where a member was treated.

ColumnRequiredFormat / valuesExample
location_idYesstable id; the key encounters referencesLOC-221
location_nameYestextRiverdale Family Practice
managing_org_npiRecommended10 digits1234567893
address_line1Recommendedtext88 River Rd
cityRecommendedtextYonkers
stateRecommended2-letter USPS USPS statesNY
zipRecommended5 or 9 digits, as a string10701
  • location_name is the one mandatory field: a row without it cannot become a Location.
  • managing_org_npi must match a row in your organizations dataset.

These resources are served by Patient Access, Provider Access, Payer-to-Payer, and Prior Auth.

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