Outpatient clinic

(hospital
department)

An outpatient department or outpatient

clinic is the part of a hospital designed
for the treatment of outpatients, people
with health problems who visit the
hospital for diagnosis or treatment, but
do not at this time require a bed or to be
admitted for overnight care. Modern
outpatient departments offer a wide
range of treatment services, diagnostic
tests and minor surgical procedures.

The department
The outpatient clinic of a hospital, also
called an outpatient department provides
diagnosis and care for patients that do
not need to stay overnight.[1] This is
distinct from clinics independent of
hospitals, almost all of which are
designed mostly or exclusively for
outpatient care and may also be called
outpatient clinics.

The outpatient department is an

important part of the overall running of
the hospital. It is normally integrated with
the in-patient services and manned by
consultant physicians and surgeons who
also attend inpatients in the wards. Many
patients are examined and given
treatment as outpatients before being
admitted to the hospital at a later date as
inpatients. When discharged, they may
attend the outpatient clinic for follow-up
treatment.[2]

The outpatient department will usually be

on the ground floor of the hospital with
car-parking facilities nearby. Wheelchairs
and stretchers are available for non-
ambulatory patients. Patients will
register at a reception desk and there is
seating for them while they wait for their
appointments. Each doctor will have a
consulting room and there may be
smaller waiting areas near these.
Paediatric clinics are often held in areas
separated from the adult clinics. Close at
hand will be X-ray facilities, laboratories,
the medical record office and a
pharmacy. In the main waiting area there
are a range of facilities for the patients
and their families including toilets, public
telephones, coffee shop or snack bar,
water dispenser, gift shop, florist and
quiet room.[2]

In many countries, hospitals do not have

separate outpatient departments, so
outpatients are treated in the same
departments as patients that stay
overnight.

References
1. Segen's Medical Dictionary and Medical
Dictionary for the Health Professions and
Nursing
2. Kunders, G.D. (2004). Hospitals:
Facilities Planning and Management .
Tata McGraw-Hill Education. pp. 221–222.
ISBN 978-0-07-050269-7.

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