The main difference between inpatient and outpatient services is that inpatient care is performed by an inpatient facility that is prepared for patients to be able to stay overnight if need be. This inpatient care can be provided by a hospital, skilled nursing facility, or a long term care facility. A skilled nursing facility (SNF) is designed to provide rehabilitation services and/or skilled nursing to injured patients after they no longer need to be in a hospital setting. The skilled nurses help the patient and assist with their recovery. A skilled nursing facility is operated by licensed nurses, with the assistance of a medical physician. A nursing home is an example of a long-term care facility, which provides custodial care for patients who suffer from chronic disabilities or prolonged illnesses. Outpatient care, is also referred to as ambulatory care, is somewhat different from inpatient care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility setting. Outpatient care involves care that does not require and overnight stay. This kind of care is found in a family physician office, ER visit, physical, speech or occupational therapy, and home health care.
Inpatient coding requires coding of services of each day of the hospital stay thus making is more and more difficult if the hospital stay becomes longer and longer. For procedural coding in outpatient CPT codes are used whereas in inpatient coding ICD procedure are used. In outpatient coding diagnosis like suspected, probable, or consistent are not coded and instead respective symptoms are codes whereas in inpatient coding all such diagnosis are coded as current conditions. In outpatient coding, abnormal findings are coded as given by the physician whereas in inpatient coding abnormal findings are not coded and reported unless the provider indicates their clinical