in-patient care
- Guideline or reference source
- WHO Glossary
- Definition
- An in-patient is a patient who is formally admitted (or “hospitalized”) to an institution for treatment and/or care and stays for a minimum of one night in the hospital or other institution providing in-patient care. In-patient care is mainly delivered in hospitals, but partially also in nursing and residential care facilities or in establishments that are classified according to their focus of care under the ambulatory-care industry, but perform in-patient care as a secondary activity. It should be noted that the term “in-patient” used in the OECD-SHA has a wider meaning compared to some national reporting systems where this term is limited to in-patient care in hospitals. Included are services delivered to in-patients in prison and army hospitals, tuberculosis hospitals, and sanatoriums. In-patient care includes accommodation provided in combination with medical treatment when the latter is the predominant activity provided during the stay as an in-patient. On the other hand, accommodation in institutions providing social services, where health care is an important but not predominant component should not be included in the health function. Examples might include institutions such as homes for disabled persons, nursing homes, and residential care for substance abuse patients.
- Related Term
- hospital
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