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

• A. Acute Care (Short Term Hospital)
• B. Transitional Care Unit
• C. Ambulatory Care (Out Patient)
• D. Chronic Care Facility (Long Term Care)

Answer: (C)

Ambulatory care refers to outpatient, preventive, and diagnostic services provided outside the hospital setting, such as in medical offices, outpatient clinics, and surgery centers. Because care is delivered on a day basis without overnight hospital stays, it is typically less costly than inpatient care and is favored by managed care plans that aim to control costs while still providing timely, accessible services. The other settings involve hospitalization or longer-term care: acute care is the short-term hospital stay for more intensive treatment, transitional care units help patients move from hospital to another setting, and chronic care facilities provide long-term residential care.