outpatient

outpatient — noun

1. a patient who receives medical care at a hospital or clinic and then goes home t

1.nounC1
Definition

a patient who receives medical care at a hospital or clinic and then goes home the same day instead of sleeping there.

Example

After her eye test, Nora went home as an outpatient.

pattern: as an outpatient

The clinic treats most knee injuries on an outpatient basis.

pattern: on an outpatient basis

Common collocations
  • as an outpatient
  • on an outpatient basis
  • book someone as an outpatient
  • treat outpatients
  • outpatient clinic
Synonyms
  • day patient

    mainly British and often used when treatment lasts part of the day but does not require an overnight stay

  • ambulatory patient

    formal medical term that stresses the patient is well enough to walk and not remain admitted

  • clinic patient

    broader and less exact, because a clinic patient is not always contrasted with an inpatient stay

Antonyms
  • inpatient

    used when the patient is admitted and stays at least one night

Grammar Patterns

be an outpatient

treat someone as an outpatient

on an outpatient basis

Usage Note

Often used after verbs such as 'treat', 'book', or 'see', and in the phrase 'on an outpatient basis'. Distinguish from 'inpatient', which is used when the person stays in the hospital overnight.

Common Mistakes

My father was an outpatient for three nights.
My father was an inpatient for three nights.
an outpatient goes home instead of staying overnight.
The doctor treated her in outpatient.
The doctor treated her as an outpatient.
use 'as' before the noun, or say 'on an outpatient basis'.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Outpatient' is the standard general term for a patient who receives care without staying overnight. 'Day patient' is closer to British hospital usage and often suggests someone who spends several hours in treatment during the day, then leaves. 'Ambulatory patient' is a more formal medical label and focuses on the patient being mobile enough not to remain admitted. 'Clinic patient' is broader and less precise, because it simply means a patient at a clinic and does not clearly contrast with an overnight stay. So a hospital may treat someone as an 'outpatient', list surgery under 'day patient' care, or describe a stable walker as an 'ambulatory patient'.

outpatient ↗day patientambulatory patientclinic patient

Common collocations

Nouns

  • outpatient clinic
  • outpatient surgery
  • outpatient visit
  • outpatient care
  • outpatient department

Phrases

  • treat someone as an outpatient
  • see outpatients
  • return as an outpatient
  • be treated on an outpatient basis

Prepositions

  • as an outpatient
  • on an outpatient basis

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in English from 'out' and 'patient'. The name developed to contrast with 'inpatient': an outpatient receives care while remaining out of the hospital overnight. The older word 'patient' came into English through French from Latin, where it originally referred to someone who suffers or endures.