Definition - What does Inpatient Procedure mean?
An inpatient procedure is a form of medical care that requires a minimum of one overnight stay at a hospital, prescribed by a physician, until an official discharge from the facility is permitted. Patients who undergo major surgical operations such as a coronary artery bypass graft, hysterectomy, total knee replacement, and total hip replacement, are classified as inpatient procedures that involve extended recovery time.
SureHire explains Inpatient Procedure
Inpatient procedures can be a medical necessity, but healthcare costs can be a financial constraint on the economic purse for employers, insurance providers, and individuals. Hospital stays carry steep expenditures for patients receiving ongoing medical attention in order to accommodate the nature of their condition. Consequently, doctors must use sound judgment before admitting patients to hospitals where many health insurance coverage plans pay exclusively under this stipulation.
The healthcare system is starting to transition inpatient procedures in hospitals over to more affordable private clinics and surgery centers. For instance, hip replacement operations can be performed at an independent facility, undercutting hospital admission fees by half for patients receiving treatment. Because hospital costs fluctuate, many insurance coverage plans establish the criteria for receipt of care based on variable factors including X-rays, lab testings, medications, and rehabilitation.
The commercial aspect of healthcare is causing an upswell of private clinics and ambulatory care, also known as outpatient care, to handle otherwise inpatient procedures on a regular basis. The cost-saving ratio of private clinics and/or ambulatory centers providing inpatient procedure treatment is more economical for insurance companies and patients than receiving similar medical care during a hospital stay. However, the volume of patient referrals to private clinics and outpatient facilities is causing many rural hospitals to pool their resources into regional medical centers to offset the financial loss due to decreased inpatient procedure costs.
