What term refers to an individual leaving a facility without staff knowledge?

The term that refers to an individual leaving a facility without staff knowledge is "elopement." This concept is particularly relevant in healthcare and rehabilitation settings, where patients may leave a facility without permission, which can pose significant safety and legal risks. Elopement implies a lack of awareness or acknowledgement by the facility staff that the individual has left, often resulting in urgent circumstances that require immediate attention to locate the individual.

In contrast, discharge refers to the formal release of a patient from a medical facility following proper protocols and with staff knowledge. AWOL (Absence Without Leave) typically denotes a situation where a person leaves a place without authorization, often associated with military or institutional contexts, but may lack the specific healthcare implications of elopement. Unauthorized exit, while descriptive, does not carry the same established meaning within healthcare as elopement does, making it less specific in this context.