Inpatient (hospitalisation only) is a term that is used in case you are hospitalized. I.e. admitted to the hospital for a certain amount of time. Outpatient care is the care you receive when you go to a hospital, when you consult a general practioner, receive the prescribed medication and then return back home. Please note that the definition of Inpatient care might differ amongst insurance companies. It therefore does not always mean an overnight stay. Sometimes being assigned to a hospital bed for a certain amount of time will qualify as inpatient care.