Hospital outpatient care is medical treatment or care that does not require an overnight stay
Outpatient hospital care is hospital-based treatment provided to a patient who is expected to return home after their appointment. Treatment requiring an overnight stay is called inpatient care.
In Germany, outpatient care is often not provided in large hospitals but in smaller, specialist clinics. In 2012, the Federal Joint Committee passed a guideline on specialist outpatient care with the aim of making it easier for patients to access highly specialized care at clinics.
If your doctor has instructed you to seek outpatient care or referred you to a clinic or hospital, you should consult your health insurance provider before proceeding, so you can ask whether they will cover the treatment and discuss the costs involved.
ottonova customers can use the Concierge service to check whether a given treatment is covered. In the First and Business Class tariff they also benefit from access to specialist doctors without the need for a referral.