inpatient

[in-pey-shuhnt]

noun

1. a patient who stays in a hospital while receiving medical care or treatment.

inpatient

/ ˈɪnˌpeɪʃənt /

noun

1. a hospital patient who occupies a bed for at least one night in the course of treatment, examination, or observation Compare outpatient

Word History and Origins

Origin of inpatient¹

First recorded in 1750–60; in- ¹ + patient

Example Sentences

Insurance documents show rehabs continued to bill for new inpatient detox treatment repeatedly over half a year.

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The service will be phased in from 2027 with the focus on areas where there are significant numbers of patients who may never need inpatient treatment.

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In total, we have spoken to nine former inpatients and five members of staff who told us of:

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"These are patients who are sick and need further care on a ward. So they are forced to endure extreme wait times for an inpatient bed to become available for them."

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Under the critical access program, the federal government pays hospitals 101% of their costs for inpatient and outpatient services provided to Medicare patients.

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When To Use

What does inpatient mean?

Inpatient is commonly used as an adjective to describe treatment that requires a patient to be admitted to a hospital or other care facility for at least one night.Inpatient is used in contrast with the term outpatient, which describes treatment that does not require a patient to stay overnight.The terms are especially used in phrases like inpatient treatment (which requires the patient to stay overnight at the hospital), inpatient room (where such patients stay), and outpatient procedure (after which the patient can leave, instead of staying for further observation or treatment).Both terms can also be used as nouns referring to such patients.Inpatient is typically used in the context of hospitals, but it can also refer to a patient of a mental health facility or other kinds of clinics.Example: This type of surgery requires inpatient care—typically consisting of a one-week hospital stay.