Inpatient and Outpatient Hospital Services

Inpatient and Outpatient Hospital Services Hospitals provide different services, for example inpatient and outpatient. Although both services are provided within the hospital and have obvious similarities there are also major differences. The codes used within each service are affected by the differences between the services. Inpatient hospital services are services that provide patients a place to stay overnight. Inpatient care facilities can also be provided for special services. A couple of examples of an inpatient care setting are a skilling nursing facility or a long-term care facility. “A skilled nursing facility (SNF) provided skilled nursing and/or rehabilitation services to help with recovery after a hospital stay” (Valerius, Bayes, Newby, & Seggern, 2008). The nurses in a skilled nursing facility are licensed nurses and work under the supervision of a physician. The skills performed by these nurses are services such as intravenous injections, feeding through a tube, and changing dressings on a wound. A long-term care facility “describes facilities such as nursing homes that provide custodial care for patients with chronic disabilities and prolonged illnesses” (Valerius, Bayes, Newby, & Seggern, 2008). A long-term care facility staffs certified nursing assistants that help in assisting the nurses. Coding for inpatient hospital services begins as patients are discharged. The coding will vary, depending on the reason for treatment. “Some patient codes are generalists, others may have special skills in a certain area, like surgical coding or Medicare” (Valerius, Bayes, Newby, & Seggern, 2008). Outpatient hospital services are also known as ambulatory care. The most common type of outpatient hospital is the hospital emergency rooms or departments. “Emergency care involves a situation in which a delay in treatment would lead to a significant increase in the threat to a patient’s life or body part” (Valerius, Bayes, Newby, & Seggern, 2008). The

References: Valerius, J., Bayes, N., Newby, C., & Seggern, J. (2008). Medical insurance: An integrated claims process approach (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.