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encounter key

enc_key
general
Updated 3/30/2026

Definition

The lookup reference value for a healthcare service interaction. Used in healthcare data management and clinical workflows. This field is commonly used in electronic health records (EHR), healthcare information systems (HIS), and clinical data warehouses for encounter management and reporting.

Standard Abbreviation

enc_key

Category

general

Database Usage

-- Example column naming
CREATE TABLE claims (
  claim_id VARCHAR(50),
  enc_key VARCHAR(100),  -- encounter key
  ...
);

-- Example in SELECT
SELECT 
  claim_id,
  enc_key as encounter_key
FROM claims;

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