May 25, 2023

Behavioral Health Facilities: The Difference Between Inpatient and Outpatient Care

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Most behavioral health facilities offer two different types of patient care. The first is inpatient care and the other is outpatient care. While both of these different types of behavioral health care can be extremely helpful and effective, they are very different ways of going about treating behavioral health issues. The gravity of a patient’s needs determines whether they require inpatient care or outpatient care. At Nextus Billing Solutions, while we handle the billing and claims of behavioral health facilities, we make it a point to become knowledgeable on every facet of behavioral healthcare. That is why we need to explain the differences between these two different types of care. Read on to learn more about inpatient and outpatient behavioral healthcare:

What is Inpatient Care?

Inpatient care is care that is provided in a hospital or other type of facility where you are admitted and spend at least one night. Depending on your condition, it can sometimes be more than one night. Inpatient care can often be a much more aggressive form of behavioral health care. In some cases, this level of treatment is beneficial and often necessary depending on the state of a patient’s health. Inpatient care can include around-the-clock monitoring to ensure the well-being of a patient as well as maintain forward progress. Patients with intense mental health disorders and extreme substance abuse disorders often benefit from seeking inpatient care. While it can help them significantly, it can sometimes be difficult for someone with these types of disorders to submit to inpatient care. However, their lives can be changed and even saved through inpatient care. 

What is Outpatient Care?

Outpatient care is care that does not require an overnight stay in a hospital or treatment facility. A diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation can all be handled as an outpatient. This truly depends on the severity of a person’s behavioral health problem. Outpatient care can be provided in multiple different ways. Most behavioral health facilities offer several different outpatient options. Different forms of treatment could look like going to a facility for single or group counseling sessions. This is a prevalent form of outpatient treatment for someone struggling with behavioral health issues. In some cases, a patient could choose outpatient care to start with and if they or their provider feels like a more intense form of treatment is necessary, they could have the option of switching to inpatient care. It is also always possible to go from receiving inpatient care to receiving regular outpatient care. Oftentimes, outpatient care, especially if it’s some sort of therapy or counseling, can be a long-term type of treatment. 

Whether someone needs inpatient or outpatient care, Nextus Billing Solutions has the honor and privilege of working alongside behavioral health facilities that provide both. These facilities can help a patient to decide which one is best for them through an evaluation. Patients can rest assured knowing that they have behavioral health providers who want to provide them with the best course of action to help them heal and work through their struggles. No matter what they’re going through: substance abuse, anxiety, depression, or another form of behavioral health issue, receiving some sort of care is vital and so important. To learn more about behavioral health and certain trends within that world, please visit our website today!