Which setting is outpatient, preventative, diagnostic treatment services provided at medical offices, outpatient clinics and surgery centers, less costly than inpatient care and favored by managed care plans?

• A. Acute Care (Short Term Hospital)
• B. Secondary Care
• C. Ambulatory Care (Out Patient)
• D. Skilled Nursing Facility (Extended Care)

Answer: (C)

Ambulatory care refers to outpatient, preventative, and diagnostic services delivered outside an overnight hospital stay, typically in medical offices, outpatient clinics, or surgery centers. This model is less costly than inpatient care and is favored by managed care plans because it emphasizes prevention and early treatment to avoid hospital admissions. The setting described fits ambulatory care because it focuses on services that don’t require admission, including routine preventive care and diagnostic procedures performed in outpatient facilities. In contrast, acute care is hospital-based inpatient care for more serious conditions; secondary care involves specialty services often within hospitals or referral settings; and skilled nursing facilities provide long-term or post-acute extended care rather than routine outpatient services.