What’s the Difference Between Inpatient and Outpatient Care?

The complexities of healthcare can be difficult to navigate, especially when it comes to ensuring you have the right international medical insurance coverage. This includes understanding the differences between inpatient and outpatient treatment, which are both often referred to in health insurance policies.

In this blog, we explain the differences between the two types of care, identifying what separates them and what might be similar, and how each might affect the patient.

The main difference between inpatient and outpatient care is that inpatient care will require you to stay overnight in the hospital. Outpatient care will include treatment and procedures where you won’t need to stay overnight. You can typically go home straight after receiving your treatment, or after a short period of observation to check you are well enough to leave.

Inpatient care will usually be for more serious ailments and illnesses. If you go to the hospital as an inpatient, you may require ongoing treatment or continual observation, or you may need to be monitored throughout your recovery.

Sometimes inpatient care can be pre-planned, when you will know you will be having major surgery or treatment and be required to stay in the hospital. Inpatient care can also include emergency visits.

Inpatient care can include:

As part of your inpatient treatment, you will have accommodation and meals. Your treatment may also include care such as diagnostic tests and blood tests, as well as medication.

Outpatient care will typically be pre-planned. It can often include routine treatments that you may have as part of your regular healthcare, as well as instances where you require something specialised. It can include treatment that’s taken on an on-going basis, such as mental health support, as well as one-off surgeries and tests.

Outpatient care can include:

Outpatient care can often be provided in a hospital, like inpatient care, but you won’t need a bed to stay overnight, and you won’t get meals. Outpatient care can also be conducted in clinics and GP surgeries.

The kind of treatment you need will depend on the severity of your illness or injury, as well as the type of care you will be receiving. If you are having tests done, there is usually very little need for you to stay overnight, and you can go home with minimal risk. For other procedures, there may be more risk, and so keeping you in hospital where you can be monitored by healthcare professionals will be the safest option. In that case, you will be an inpatient.

Even after some surgeries though, it’s not required for you to stay overnight. If you have been anesthetized as an outpatient, you will be monitored after your surgery to ensure you are healthy enough to return home. You will also typically require there to be someone at home to provide support, should it be needed. If you are generally healthy, and your doctor is happy with your recovery post-surgery, you will be able to conduct the rest of your recovery in the comfort of your own home. This also frees up space in hospitals for people who may need it more.

More and more hospitals are also beginning to utilise healthcare technology to allow people to return home after treatment. Remote healthcare and telehealth are already being utilised, where people can talk to their doctor from home. This allows patients to recover in familiar surroundings but also update their healthcare professional on their situation. If there are any concerns, you can then return to the hospital or clinic for in-person care.

Expatriate Group provides comprehensive international medical insurance that includes both inpatient and outpatient care for expats. If you move abroad, we’ll ensure your health is looked after, with a range of policies designed to suit the different needs of expats.

All our plans include a private hospital bed for inpatient treatment, surgeries, anesthetists’ fees, physician and nursing fees, and prescribed medicines, whether you’re an outpatient or inpatient. All our plans also include oncology treatments and diagnostic tests such as MRI and CAT scans.

Our Select plan, our most comprehensive policy, includes maternity treatment, including normal delivery and ceasareans. It also includes screening tests, such as cervical smears, mammograms, and prostate cancer screenings, which are all typically conducted on an outpatient basis.

Expatriate Group is an expert in international healthcare. If you’re moving abroad, keep yourself and your family safe and protected with our comprehensive international medical insurance. Get a quote, view our plans, or contact us for more information.