Outpatient Services

Learning About Outpatient Services

What are outpatient services?

Outpatient services are medical procedures, surgeries, or tests that are done in a qualified medical center without the need for an overnight stay. For many of us, this means less time away from work and other commitments, as numerous procedures and tests can now be completed in just a few hours instead of having to spend days in a hospital. There are now a wide range of outpatient services offered, including those that focus on:

• Wellness and prevention. These services may include counseling, childbirth education and delivery, diabetes education, and nutritional counseling that often includes weight loss programs.
• Diagnosis. These are services such as imaging (for example, MRIs or CT scans) and laboratory testing (such as blood tests).
• Treatment. Types of outpatient treatment vary but can include services such as outpatient surgery, cardiac catheterization, and pain management treatments such as epidural steroid injections and acupuncture.
• Rehabilitation. These services may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, drug or alcohol rehabilitation, cardiac rehabilitation, and home care services.

What are the benefits of choosing outpatient services?

Generally, outpatient services can be cost-effective since you are not staying overnight and are not billed for separate hospitalization charges. The staff at outpatient facilities are often highly experienced in the type of service provided, because the centers usually specialize in just one type of treatment or procedure. Outpatient services can be convenient because all the care you need is often provided in one location.

Who uses outpatient services?

If the type of service is available, anyone who needs a medical procedure can choose an outpatient service center rather than a hospital. However, not all medical procedures can nor should be performed at outpatient service centers. For example, open-heart surgeries and brain surgeries are still performed in bigger hospitals, where a large number of emergency services are available should they be needed.

How do I know if the center is reputable?

The best way to find the highest-quality service is to investigate the outpatient center before the scheduled procedure. Many health and government agencies rate or report on the quality of outpatient service centers.

Keep in mind that your health insurance plan may only cover a specific outpatient facility; if so, your choice of centers may be limited to those covered by your plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learning about outpatient services:	What are outpatient services? What types of outpatient services can I choose from?
Using outpatient services:	What are the risks and benefits of outpatient services? How do I know if an outpatient service center is reputable?
Finding an outpatient service center:	How do I find an outpatient service center?

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Author:	Amy Fackler, MA	Last Updated May 15, 2006
Medical Review:	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine
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