2.5 Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care
Brandon Censon MPH, CPH, RRT-NPS, CPFT, CPT
Physician Clinics and Offices
The care that is provided at a physician clinic or office is known as ambulatory care. This healthcare setting offers services to people who do not require inpatient admission. The type of care available greatly depends on the type of physician at the clinic. For example, a primary care provider may offer a wide range of services, including annual physicals, laboratory testing, immunizations, and treatment for minor conditions such as the common cold, flu, high blood pressure, urinary tract infections, and minor injuries. In addition to treating acute illnesses, physician offices often provide preventative care, such as immunizations. Specialized clinics also focus on specific areas, including cardiology, dermatology, gastroenterology, neurology, orthopedics, gynecology, and obstetrics. The specific services offered depend on the conditions relevant to their areas of practice.
Dental Offices
Dental offices provide specialized care focused on the prevention and treatment of dental disease. General dentistry offices offer a variety of services, including comprehensive exams, X-rays, dental cleanings, fillings, root canals, tooth extractions, implants, and preventative care. Some dental offices provide specialized services. An orthodontist office, for example, focuses on dental devices that change the position of teeth. Another common specialty is oral and maxillofacial surgery, which involves surgical interventions to correct diseases, injuries, and defects of the jaw and surrounding structures.
Ambulatory Surgery Centers
Ambulatory surgical centers generally provide same-day surgical care, including preventative and diagnostic procedures. These centers serve as a convenient alternative for patients, offering outpatient surgical services with an emphasis on minimizing costs. Common procedures performed at ambulatory surgical centers include knee arthroscopy, hand/wrist fracture reduction and fixation, carpal tunnel release, colonoscopies, cataract laser surgeries, wound or lesion repairs, biopsies, and various cosmetic surgical procedures.
Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinics
Outpatient rehabilitation clinics allow patients to receive therapy without being admitted to a hospital. The services provided vary by clinic, but commonly include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation.
Patients who receive care from an outpatient rehabilitation clinic generally have conditions that are acute in nature but less medically complex. These clinics work well for patients who need to improve their mobility, stability and overall quality of life. The goal of rehabilitation therapy is typically restorative, helping patients return to their normal daily activities.
Mental Health and Psychiatric Clinics
Mental health clinics provide specialized care for people who need treatment for mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance abuse disorders. In these clinics, patients may work with psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health counselors, and social workers. Working as a team or individually, they diagnose mental health conditions, provide counseling, prescribe medications, and offer case management and other supportive services.
Skill Stitch: Using Telehealth to Improve Access to Quality Care
When we think of receiving care from a doctor or other healthcare professionals, we often think of offices, hospitals, and clinics. However, advances in technology are changing access to quality healthcare. One major change is the introduction of telemedicine, which is healthcare delivered through electronic communication. This care can be provided remotely or from an alternative location (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2023). Videoconferencing, for example, is a common tool that allows a healthcare team to exchange important clinical information and monitor vital signs remotely.
Telemedicine can help reduce health inequities, lower costs, improve continuity of care, and expand access to healthcare. It continues to grow in rural communities where access to general care providers and specialists is limited.
Attributions
- Figure 2.5: Lionel R. Lenox Building Outpatient Clinic by Stanford Medical History Center is released under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Care provided by health care professionals in outpatient settings.