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.
Entry Version
PATIENT ISOL
Entry Term(s)
Home Isolation
Isolation, Home
Isolation, Patient
Negative Pressure Isolation
Negative Pressure Patient Isolation
NLM Classification #
WX 167
Previous Indexing
Bacterial Infections/prevention & control (1972-1976)
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.