A period of time within a CONSULTANT EPISODE (HOSPITAL PROVIDER) during which a PATIENT requires close observation and intervention by additional, specially trained staff using medical equipment not routinely available on general hospital wards.

Excluded from this is care provided to neonates, which is recorded elsewhere. Also excluded from this is care provided on general wards, A&E, Radiology departments, labour wards and Special Care Baby Units.

A PATIENT may receive both Intensive and High Dependency levels of care within one AUGMENTED CARE PERIOD.

An AUGMENTED CARE PERIOD must have only one AUGMENTED CARE LOCATION; if the location changes, a new AUGMENTED CARE PERIOD begins.

If the responsibility for the PATIENT'S CONSULTANT EPISODE (HOSPITAL PROVIDER) transfers from one CONSULTANT to another while the PATIENT is receiving augmented care, the AUGMENTED CARE PERIOD ends and another one starts under the new CONSULTANT EPISODE (HOSPITAL PROVIDER).

The CONSULTANT clinically managing the PATIENT during the AUGMENTED CARE PERIOD is not necessarily the same as the CONSULTANT responsible for the CONSULTANT EPISODE (HOSPITAL PROVIDER). The MAIN SPECIALTY of the CONSULTANT clinically managing the PATIENT during the AUGMENTED CARE PERIOD should be recorded.

In the event of multiple specialty involvement in an AUGMENTED CARE PERIOD where no single specialty is identified as being responsible the MAIN SPECIALTY of the CONSULTANT admitting the PATIENT to the AUGMENTED CARE PERIOD is recorded.

Within an AUGMENTED CARE PERIOD, where a PATIENT is cared for by a team of specialists within an Intensive Care rota the MAIN SPECIALTY of the clinical director of the team is recorded.

An AUGMENTED CARE PERIOD does not include the following:

a.	Surgical and anaesthetic intra-operative care
b.	Post-operative care within an operating department
c.	Cardiac (coronary) care
d.	Imaging procedures
e.	Endoscopy procedures

This class is also known by these names:

Context	Alias
plural	AUGMENTED CARE PERIODS