Back to search

observation start date

obs_start_dt
general
Updated 3/30/2026

Definition

The beginning date value for a clinical finding or measurement. Used to track when observation start date in healthcare data systems.

Standard Abbreviation

obs_start_dt

Category

general

Database Usage

-- Example column naming
CREATE TABLE claims (
  claim_id VARCHAR(50),
  obs_start_dt VARCHAR(100),  -- observation start date
  ...
);

-- Example in SELECT
SELECT 
  claim_id,
  obs_start_dt as observation_start_date
FROM claims;

Looking for more healthcare terms?

Browse our complete library of 65,000+ standardized healthcare data terms

Browse All Terms