patient pathway

patient pathway

The route that a patient follows from the first contact with an NHS member of staff (typically his or her GP) through referral to the completion of treatment. The pathway also covers the period from entry into a hospital or a treatment centre until discharge. It is a timeline on which every event relating to treatment can be entered, including consultations, diagnosis, treatment, medication, diet, assessment, teaching and preparing for discharge from hospital. The pathway provides an outline of the events likely to happen on the patient's journey and can be used both to inform the patient as well as to plan services as a template for common services and operations.