inpatient n : a patient who is residing in the hospital where he is being treated [syn: inmate] [ant: outpatient]

English

Alternative spellings

• in-patient

Noun

1. A patient whose treatment needs at least one night's residence in a hospital

Translations

See also

• outpatient

A patient is any person who receives medical attention, care, or treatment. The person is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician or other medical professional, although one who is visiting a physician for a routine check-up may also be viewed as a patient.

Alternative terminology

Due to concerns such as dignity and political correctness, the term patient is not always used to refer to a person receiving health care. Other terms that are sometimes used include health consumer, health care consumer or client. These may be used by governmental agencies, insurance companies, patient groups, or health care facilities (who may object to some implications of the word patient).

In nursing homes and assisted living facilities, the term resident is generally used in lieu of patient. But it is not uncommon for staff members at such a facility to incorrectly use the term patient in reference to residents. Similarly, those receiving home health care are called clients.

Etymology

Patient is derived from the Latin word patiens, the present participle of the deponent verb pati, meaning "one who endures" or "one who suffers". Patient is also the adjective form of patience. Both senses of the word share a common origin.

In itself the definition of patient doesn't imply suffering or passivity but the role it describes is often associated with the definitions of the adjective form: "enduring trying circumstances with even temper". * Clinical Pathway

• Doctor-patient relationship
• e-Patient
• Hospital
• Medicine
• Patient advocacy
• Patient empowerment
• Patients Not Patents (an advocacy group)
• Patients' Bill of Rights (US)
• Virtual patient

References

External links

• I am a good patient, believe it or not, a peer-reviewed article published in the British Medical Journal's (BMJ) first issue dedicated to patients in its 160 year history
• How (not) to be a good patient, review article with views on the meaning of the words "good doctor" vs. "good patient"

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