Outpatient is commonly used as an adjective to describe treatment that does not require a patient to stay overnight at a hospital or other care facility—they come and leave on the same day.

Outpatient is used in contrast with the term inpatient, which describes treatment that requires a patient to be admitted for at least one night.

The terms are especially used in phrases like outpatient procedure (after which the patient can leave, instead of staying for further observation or treatment), inpatient treatment (which requires the patient to stay overnight at the hospital), and inpatient room (where such patients stay).

Outpatient and inpatient are typically used in the context of hospitals, though inpatient can also refer to a patient who is admitted overnight at a mental health facility or other kind of clinic.

Both terms can also be used as nouns referring to such patients.

Example: I have an outpatient procedure scheduled for tomorrow morning, so I should be back home by the afternoon.

The first records of the word outpatient come from the early 1700s. It’s a combination of the word patient, referring to someone receiving medical treatment, and the prefix out-, which indicates that the patient does not have to stay in the hospital or facility.

Patients are called outpatients if they’re in and out in the same day. On the other hand, patients are called inpatients as soon as they’re admitted for an overnight stay. But inpatients can stay for much longer than one night. Sometimes, inpatient care can take weeks or even months. For this reason, the word inpatient is often associated with treatment of more serious conditions, whereas outpatient treatment is more often associated with minor issues, as indicated by phrases like routine outpatient surgery. An outpatient clinic is a facility that does not admit patients overnight.

What are some other forms related to outpatient?

• patient

What are some words that share a root or word element with outpatient? 

• inpatient
• outbound

What are some words that often get used in discussing outpatient?

• procedure
• surgery
• care
• treatment
• therapy
• facility
• hospital
• clinic

What are some words outpatient may be commonly confused with?

• inpatient

Outpatient is often used in contrast with inpatient. It’s most often used in the context of treatment for minor medical issues.

From tomorrow we are suspending all non-urgent routine outpatient appointments for at least three months. Urgent and emergency cases and cancer appointments will be carrying on as normal.

— York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (@YorkTeachingNHS) March 23, 2020

Prater finished his inpatient therapy this week and doing great. Walking with assistance but progressing well. He will start outpatient therapy Monday at Shepherd. #pbstrong

— Prater Christiansen (@UpdateforPrater) December 2, 2017

Is outpatient used correctly in the following sentence?

I was an outpatient, so I was back home the same day after my procedure.