Ambulatory Care Centers: Their Role In Health Care

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vided only in a hospital setting on an ambulatory or outpatient basis. In addition, to reducing cost these centers provide increased utility to the patient.
Today, there seems to be a common thread in literature and public opinion which believes that ambulatory care centers were created by the hospitals to increase admissions. In actuality ambulatory care or care for the noninstituitionalized patient began with the healing arts themselves. Throughout history, ancient civilizations as well as modern, demonstrates a consistent commitment for caring for the sick by utilizing the skills and technologies of that time. In fact, signs of sophisticated medical practices can be observed in Greek, Rome and other advanced societies. Throughout the world’s many healthcare delivery systems there still remains traces of care being provided on the same fundamental level as the origins of ambulatory care.
As society progressed, ambulatory care was provided in new settings. For example, in Europe, the wealthy were provided for in their homes while the poor were cared for in dispensaries and public clinics. At the same time in the US, physicians working from their offices and going to the homes of their patients provided ambulatory care. However, this practice soon changed, driven by the rapid growth, development, and advances in medical knowledge, skills and technologies. As a result, it became increasingly difficult to provide the proper diagnostic and often time’s necessary equipment to a patient on a housecall.
“Twenty [or so] years ago, ambulatory care, also known as outpatient care, was one of those industry buzzwords that was more talk than action,” says Kertesz, Lutz, and Slone of Modern Healthcare (1996). This was perhaps due to the fact that prior to the early 80s, both Medicare and private payers reimbursed at cost for inpatient services. Therefore, there was no immediate need or urgency to establish lower cost services ...