Outpatient vs Inpatient Services, which is right for you?

Outpatient vs Inpatient Services, which is right for you?

Outpatient and Inpatient services are terms used to differentiate kinds of medical services, and they apply to the mental health field as well. It can be difficult to determine which kind of service is best for you based on your needs and availability. Inpatient services are provided at a Columbia Wellness campus and provide the greatest access to talent, equipment, and personnel while also maximizing the availability of those resources. The drawbacks of inpatient treatment are that it may require a long trip and add on additional costs associated with travel. For patients who are immobile or otherwise unable to leave their current settings, access to this kind of treatment is functionally impossible. That’s where outpatient treatment comes in, which includes any kind of mental health service provided by Columbia Wellness’s expert staff outside of one of our campuses. This can include providing treatment in your home, over the phone, or group meetings that take place at local community centers. These treatment plans are kept to the same exacting standards our inpatient treatments are held to, so you don’t need to worry about the quality of your care regardless of where you are being treated by our staff. Outpatient treatment’s greatest benefit is that it can be provided anywhere there’s enough space for you to meet or speak with one of our staff. The drawbacks of outpatient treatment are that equipment is hard to come by and anything that the participating staff don’t have with them is unavailable. Thus, a larger deal of planning is required, and it can be difficult to account of unexpected events.

Which is the right choice for me?

That question depends on your circumstances and our trained staff are ready and eager to help you determine what treatment will work best for you. You can schedule an appointment, call us at 360-423-0203, or show up at one of our facilities to speak with our staff. Inpatient treatments are best used when a patient needs critical or full-time assistance from our staff, as it allows a greater understanding of a patient’s problems and allows for a more complete course of care. Inpatient treatment also ensures that there are teams of trained medical staff on-hand in case of an emergency or other issue. Inpatient services also allow a patient to be isolated and safeguarded from harmful external factors that might otherwise impair their recovery. Finally, inpatient treatment doesn’t necessarily require that the patient stays overnight at our facilities, as we provide many services where patients leave after their treatment time is over. Patients with a more dire need of assistance or with easy access to our facilities should take advantage of the extra versatility offered by our inpatient services. For patients who are well enough to be treated from home, or otherwise unable to travel to our campus we recommend our outpatient services. Outpatients can be treated one-on-one by one of our expert staff who will travel to the patient, or as part of a larger group. Additionally, we offer our services in a mixed package where patients attend inpatient and outpatient treatment options.