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London Bridge Orthopaedics

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

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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

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