Outpatient
Outpatient care, also called ambulatory care, is anything that doesn’t require hospitalization.
Healthcare services may be received in a hospital or a freestanding surgery center.
The patient does not stay overnight.
The patient is usually released within a few hours to recuperate at home.
Some procedures performed as outpatient may require an overnight stay for observation. These stays are usually still considered outpatient because the patient was never formally "admitted" into the hospital.
Related content
• What is the difference between inpatient and outpatient care ?
• Are you a hospital inpatient or outpatient ?
