The length of each episode of care of each patient, from the date of first face-to-face contact with the patient to the date of death or discharge.
The number of times the patient was actually seen is not being counted, but the overall period over which they were registered with the service.
If a patient has not been seen for 3 months, they should be "discharged." The discharge date recorded should be the date of the last contact.

The National Council for Palliative Care. MSD Data Manual. 2009.