Patients

I'm sure most of us, at some point in our lives, already experienced being a “patient.” We normally go to hospitals to get check-ups, some treatments, and sometimes, minor surgeries. Since most of us (if not all) have these experiences in hand, we are (more or less) already aware of the general procedures patients undergo while in the hospital. There's no need to explain that here. This site will be your guide to understanding the “precise” treatments that patients with specific (often, chronic) diseases take.

In general medical terms, a “patient” is defined as a person who receives medical attention, care, or treatment. A patient seeks the help of a physician or any other medical professional to alleviate his/her illness or injury. Those people who visit physicians for routine check-ups are also called patients.

A patient may be classified by hospitals as an “outpatient” or an “inpatient,” depending on the degree of his/her illness or pain. An outpatient is not required to stay in the hospital overnight but, he/she is advised to visit his/her physician for regular treatments or diagnosis. Treatments for outpatients are delivered through “Ambulatory care.” Ambulatory care can be managed without admission to a hospital. Treatments under this type of care include blood tests, X-rays, endoscopy, and even biopsy. Also, certain surgery procedures are now considered as “outpatient.” Outpatient surgeries are performed in the surgeon's office rather than in a typical operating room. This type of procedure benefits both the physician and the patient, as it reduces amount of medications prescribed and uses doctor's time more efficiently. Outpatient surgery is prescribed for healthy people needing intermediate procedures for the eyes, ear, nose, and throat.

An inpatient, on the other hand, gets admitted to the hospital and is required to stay overnight, or for several days or weeks. In some cases, an inpatient stays in the hospital for years like the ones under comatose.