What patient is considered an inpatient and what patient is considered an outpatient?
According to Medicare Physician Guide October 2008, pg. 45 which can be found on the CMS website…
An inpatient is an individual who has been admitted to a hospital for the purpose of receiving inpatient hospital services.
Generally, an individual is considered an inpatient if he or she is formally admitted as inpatient with the expectation of remaining at least overnight and occupying a bed. The individual is considered an inpatient even if he or she can later be discharged or transferred to another hospital and does not actually use a hospital bed.
The physician or other practitioner responsible for an individual's care at the hospital is responsible for deciding whether he or she should be admitted as an inpatient
The physician or practitioner should also use a 24-hour period as a benchmark by ordering admission for individuals who are expected to need hospital care for 24 hours or more and treating other individuals on an outpatient basis.