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outpatient
noun
out·pa·tient
ˈau̇t-ˌpā-shənt
often attributive
: a patient who is not hospitalized overnight but who visits a hospital, clinic, or associated facility for diagnosis or treatment compare inpatient
Examples of outpatient in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This map from the CDC uses the proportion of outpatient visits to health care providers for influenza-like illness (ILI) to measure the level within a state.
—
Alexander Tin, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2025
At week 52—ending on December 28—the percentage of outpatient visits related to influenza-like illnesses (ILI) hit about 6.76 percent, then ticked down the first week of 2025 (week 1).
—
Ars Technica, 4 Feb. 2025
The rural emergency hospital model, created in 2020, helps qualifying rural facilities to maintain access to essential emergency and outpatient hospital services, also by providing higher Medicare payments.
—
Cody Mullen, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2025
Between the lines: Major hospital trade associations reduced or kept their year-to-year spending constant in 2024 despite the threat of site-neutral payment policies that would have changed Medicare reimbursements for outpatient care.
—
Victoria Knight, Axios, 22 Jan. 2025
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Word History
First Known Use
1715, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near outpatient
Cite this Entry
“Outpatient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outpatient. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
outpatient
noun
out·pa·tient
ˈau̇t-ˌpā-shənt
: a patient who visits a hospital for diagnosis or treatment without staying overnight compare inpatient
Medical Definition
outpatient
noun
out·pa·tient
ˈau̇t-ˌpā-shənt
: a patient who is not hospitalized overnight but who visits a hospital, clinic, or associated facility for diagnosis or treatment compare inpatient
More from Merriam-Webster on outpatient
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for outpatient
Nglish: Translation of outpatient for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of outpatient for Arabic Speakers
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