Java - True/False per Enum value

Question

I'm trying to figure out what is the best solution for my problem.

I have an object where the status may be one of three possibilities but it can change during run time. I have three status flags that the object can be.

I have no experience with ENUM and trying to figure out if this is the best way.

I want to be able to set a specific flag to true or false and then be able to set another one. I need to be able to get the status of each flag as well for when I iterate through a list of these objects within a array list.

class Patient 
{


//REST OF the object

public enum Status 
{
     INPATIENT(false),
     OUTPATIENT(false),
     EMERGENCY(false);


      private final boolean isStatus;

      Status(boolean isStatus) 
      {
        this.isStatus = isStatus;
      }

      public boolean isStatus()
      {
        return this.isStatus;
      }

    }

}

Answer 1

That's not really how an enum works. You wouldn't include the boolean flag, but instead do this:

public enum Status {
   INPATIENT,
   OUTPATIENT,
   EMERGENCY;
}

public class Patient {
    private Status status;

    public void setStatus(final Status status) {
        this.status = status;
    }
}

public class SomeService {
     public void someMethod(final Patient patient) {
         patient.setStatus(Status.INPATIENT);
         patient.setStatus(Status.OUTPATIENT);
         patient.setStatus(Status.EMERGENCY);
    }
}

A variable typed as an enum can hold any one value of that enum (or null). If you want to change status, change which value of the enum the variable refers to. (Enums are different from classes, since they are not instantiated with the new keyword, but rather just referenced directly, as in the above code.)

Answer 2

public enum StatusFlag { OUTPATEINT, INPATIENT, EMERGENCY}

public class Patient {

    private StatusFlag status;

    // Here goes more code
}

This will ensure that it would be impossible to assign any other values to status field.