Book a consultation
London Bridge Orthopaedics

  • Call us on

    020 3576 5296
    Mon-Fri: 8am-6pm
    (New enquiries only)

  • Find us at

    HCA UK Outpatients & Diagnostics The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street, London SE1 9BS

Click to call for new patient enquiry If you are an existing patient please call the consultant directly. You can find their direct number on their consultants page.

Home | FAQ's | What is the difference between an outpatient, a day case and an inpatient?

What is the difference between an outpatient, a day case and an inpatient?

What is the difference between an outpatient, a day case and an inpatient?

If you are looking for orthopaedic hospital treatment, you will be often seeing these terms:

  • Outpatient – a patient who comes into the hospital for a short appointment – this may be a consultation with your specialist, a test or a scan. You will not need to stay at the hospital overnight.
  • Day-case – a patient who comes in for a more involved procedure than an outpatient. You may need some recovery time at the hospital, but you should be able to go home the same day.
  • Inpatient – a patient who stays in hospital for one or more nights. You may also be asked to come in for some assessment or preparation before you come to stay.

Our specialties

We cover all the subspecialty areas of orthopaedics

Recent articles

winter weather cold arthritis

Cold, Wintry Weather and Arthritis: What You Need To Know

The cold weather is well and truly here. Here at London Bridge Orthopaedics, we saw snowfall for the first time in a very long time across the capital. But the cold weather also negatively affects many sufferers of Rheumatoid Arthritis. ...
Read more