At Hospital Are You Inpatient or Outpatient

You went to your primary provider at the community clinic and the triage nurse sent you directly to the hospital emergency room for evaluation.  In today's hospital you can even stay over night and still be classified outpatient. 

Observational status is hospital outpatient services given to help the ER Doctor decide if the patient needs to be admitted as an inpatient or can be discharged.  Observational care can be provided in the emergency department or another area of the hospital setting.

You are an outpatient if you are getting emergency department services, observational services, outpatient surgery, lab tests, or Xrays, and the Doctor has not written an order to admit you to the hospital as an inpatient. 

You are an inpatient when you are formally admitted to the hospital with a doctor writing the order.  So, even if you stay over night, the doctor must have written orders declaring you an inpatient to qualify for insurance to reimburse the hospital at the inpatient rate.

Some health insurance plans will accommodate up to a 48 hour observational stay in the hospital setting.  The 24 hour reimbursed rate could not exceed the daily semi private room rate which in a rural Wisconsin hospital is about 1600.00. 

Individuals who do not have the severity of medical symptoms to result in an inpatient hospital stay are often discharged to home with a supportive (www.homecarepath.com) care service.  The supportive care service can assist the person with meals, bathing, dressing, scheduled toileting, laundry, medication reminders, tracking appointments, and keeping close contact should symptoms worsen.

Home Care Path is a leading senior care provider serving south central Wisconsin.  2013 rates are 20.00 per hour.  Simply call 608-432-4286 to schedule an in home interview.  Email lkutzke@homecarepath.onmicrosoft.com  Services can be tax deductible.  We accept long term care insurance.  We can be there when you are working.  Valuing home and human life. 

Home to the Wisconsin PATH ALONG Model.  You are cordially invited to download your free PATH ALONG App today, take it with you to the hospital to prevent a re-hospitalization

http://appsmakerstore.com/appim/j6kcdet8xvwk4s