Outpatient treatment
What is outpatient treatment?
Outpatient treatment takes place at the medical practice or in hospital and does not involve an overnight stay. The patient can go home the same day. In the case of inpatient treatment, the patient stays overnight in the hospital.
Which outpatient treatments are available?
The most common outpatient treatments include treatment at a medical practice or in a hospital’s outpatient department. Outpatient treatment can be as simple as applying a dressing or dispensing medication. However, it can also include examinations and minor procedures such as:
- Radiological examinations such as X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs
- Special examinations such as a colonoscopy or joint endoscopy
- Preventive check-ups
- Vaccinations
- Minor surgical procedures such as fixing a broken bone
- Minor gynaecological procedures
What is an outpatient birth?
If a birth goes smoothly and mother and child are doing well, the young family can leave the hospital just a few hours after delivery. This is known as an outpatient birth.
An outpatient birth makes it possible to spend the postpartum period at home in familiar surroundings. For the care and support of mother and child, up to 16 home visits by a midwife are included under basic insurance for eight weeks after the birth.