For Patient Records wanting to use timeline view, Health Cloud expects custom objects to associate via which?

In Salesforce Health Cloud, the timeline view for patient records is designed to provide a chronological display of a patient's interactions, activities, and updates in a clear and organized manner. For custom objects to effectively associate with the patient records within this timeline view, a link to either the Account or Contact object is necessary.

Using an Account lookup allows for a direct relationship to be established between the patient record and the organization (or practice) associated with the patient. This connection is crucial because it enables Health Cloud to aggregate and display the patient’s data effectively within the context of the healthcare provider or institution. The timeline view benefits greatly from these associations as it captures all relevant activities and interactions tied to the patient’s care journey.

Choosing a Contact lookup would still maintain a relationship to individual patients but is more contextually specific to the individual rather than an organization. While Account lookups are key for associate relationships within the health care entity structure, using a combination or exclusively relying on the Contact lookup does not provide the same level of organizational context necessary for a comprehensive timeline view.

Therefore, focusing specifically on the Account lookup as a means for association is ideal when preparing custom objects for timeline view in Health Cloud, ensuring that patient records are integrated appropriately within the healthcare ecosystem.