Defining Outpatient Care BY STEFANIE on August 24th, 2015
Outpatient care is professional care that does not require an admission in a hospital; patients can leave after consulting a physician or undergoing diagnostic testing. Outpatient care has become the primary way of treating patients, primarily due to the advances in technology and ambulatory health facilities. Outpatient care is also known as ambulatory care. Outpatient care does not involve a big team of nursing staff or physicians. Care can be received in a private doctor’s office, mobile clinic, community clinic, and in other on-campus departments of major hospitals. All of the acute problems, mild diseases, follow ups and minor surgical repairs like suturing are done in outpatient care. Similarly the diagnostic labs or imaging also require little of the patient’s time when compared to in-patient care options. Prevention, investigation, diagnosis, treatment, and rehab services are the major services of outpatient care. Outpatient care has advantages of being cost effective, while also minimizing restrictions on the patient that can cause significant stress from the interruption of work and family routines and obligations. In addition, outpatient care significantly reduces exposure to hospital-acquired infections, such as pneumonia and MRSA. Outpatient Counseling: Outpatient counseling is meant to treat an addiction or behavioral problem without restraining the patient within the premises of a rehab center for long periods of time. It is especially designed for the people who are struggling with substance abuse and addiction problems. Outpatient counseling is an interactive way of understanding the patient and teaching him/her the essential skills that will lead to the recovery process. Outpatient counseling can be received by people of all ages struggling with addiction or withdrawal symptoms. Outpatient counseling offers an effective way to treat addiction and other mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Patients need to be stable, functioning, and medicationcompliant to be eligible for outpatient counseling. A significant benefit for patients is their ability to spend time with family and friends during treatment, which can have a positive effect and provide a moral support to the patient. When patients able to maintain their work routine and family life, the sense of anonymity in treatment is preserved, which can provide relief to those who feel stigmatized by their mental health concerns. Just like in-patient care, it also emphasizes reliance on support groups and small peer-groups are formed to keep patients motivated towards their recovery.
An outpatient care center should be chosen based on your schedule, budget and specific type of treatment that suits you best. Outpatient counseling services: Outpatient counseling services should include provisional diagnosis, treatment plans, patient-oriented counseling and follow-ups to check the progress of patient. Not every patient needs the same counseling services, as patients have different levels of disease progression, support systems, and educational backgrounds. An expert mind is required to properly assess the patient’s status and his/her requirements. Outpatient counseling services can be summarized as: • Physical and emotional assessment • Formulating treatment plans for individuals • Individual and group counseling sessions • Patient-based Consultation • Psychological testing to assess improvements Before joining an outpatient center, you must also evaluate the factors that are nottreatment related but may affect the outcome of the program. These factors include distance, cost, flexibility and support. You should check these factors with your routine and finances and then join an outpatient center accordingly. It is important to remain compliant with treatment plans until you are completely recovered. Individual counseling is the most crucial part of all the outpatient services. As a patient, you should be asked about your present condition and your short and long-term goals; this helps ensure that therapy is tailored to your specific needs and intentions. The relationship between you and your counselor or therapist should be based on honesty, trust, and open communication; do not be afraid to request a counselor or therapist based on attributes that will help ensure a positive relationship, such as gender, age, and professional orientation. Assisted outpatient treatment: Assisted outpatient treatment is a legal intervention whereby the court orders an individual to receive treatment for his/her mental illness. It was formerly known as involuntary outpatient commitment. Patient cannot refuse treatment in this scenario and must be compliant with the court-mandated treatment as directed by the judge. It is directed for such individuals who have severe forms of a mental deterioration, severe substance use disorders, and are deemed to be unsafe without treatment. These people are also unlikely to seek a treatment by themselves. Assisted patient treatment provides a way for the mentally ill patients to improve adherence to their health services and gain a notable sobriety. The goal of assisted outpatient treatment is to ensure the safety of the patient, his family members, and the community. The target population for assisted outpatient treatment is any person above 18 years of age, suffering from severe mental illness and/or addiction, and has a history of noncompliance with past treatment. Assisted treatment is a great way to stop the further deterioration of the patient’s mental health and initiate a recovery process that will again lead him/her to a healthy and functional life. Outpatient treatment: Outpatient treatments involve supporting a patient in getting rid of his/her addiction problem and achieving a lasting recovery. Patients typically live with family or other sober and supportive individuals, while visiting the outpatient treatment center according to a fixed schedule. Outpatient treatment is chosen for individuals who are not severely ill and have completed a successful detox process. They must be able to function in the community, carry out their routine life, and only require
assistance to remain sober and prevent any future relapse. Since no single treatment can cure all patients, outpatient care is meant to be focused on the individual’s specific needs. There are many advantages of outpatient treatment such as low-cost—especially in terms of time, work loss, and overall interruption, stability at the end of the program, peer-support, and less stigma. However, outpatient treatment may not work well for everyone. The major disadvantage is that the individual must have dependable, consistent support networks in place, as exposure to environmental and social triggers must be controlled by the individual. Research has shown, however, that outpatient treatment is effective and appropriate for many people with substance abuse disorders and mildmoderate addiction issues.