Patient Isolation

**Definition:** The segregation of patients with communicable or other diseases for a specified time. Isolation may be strict, in which movement and social contacts are limited; modified, where an effort to control specified aspects of care is made in order to prevent cross infection; or reverse, where the patient is secluded in a controlled or germ-free environment in order to protect him or her from cross infection.

**Tree numbers:** - E02.770 - N06.850.780.200.450.650

**Synonyms:** - Isolation, Patient