Inpatient care starts with admission to a hospital to stay overnight or more or an inpatient facility depending upon the condition. As an inpatient, you are under in-depth observation and monitoring by doctors, nurses, and other professionals within a hospital.

Most patients enter inpatient care due to complex surgeries, serious illnesses, childbirth with or without cesarean section, traumatic injury, and rehabilitation services for a mental health illness, and substance use.

Care starts with admission to a particular service such as Cardiology, Urology, Orthopedics, General Surgery, Neurology, etc., depending upon the treatment. It could be pre-planned like childbirth or knee replacement surgery or unplanned like heart attack, serious accident, injury, illness, etc.

Physicians keep these patients at the hospital when they need round-the-clock assistance by medical staff, monitoring, medicine, or specific medical treatment. The day you are discharged from the facility and no longer need inpatient care. Post that, the patient becomes outpatient if necessary and follows instructions on the discharge note.