[Activity of a short-stay observation unit in an emergency department of a tertiary hospital. A two-year experience].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the characteristics of the activity of a short stay observation unit (SSOU) in a tertiary hospital, and to analyze its influence on the hospitalization rate.


METHODS
The activity of the SSOU during the first 2 years after opening is described. Descriptive variables were registered. Hospitalization activity during the first 5 months after opening the unit was compared with the activity during the same period in the previous year.


RESULTS
From June 1, 2001 to May 31, 2003, 74,989 patients were admitted to the emergency department (ED) and 2,438 (3.25 %) were transferred to the SSOU. The mean age of the patients was 64.55 months. The mean length of stay was 5 hours and 50 minutes. The main discharge diagnoses were gastrointestinal disease (30.2 %), accidents (15 %), respiratory illness (12.5 %) and febrile syndrome (9.8 %). The hospitalization rate in patients admitted to the ED was 5.8 % from June 1, 2000 to October 1, 2000 and was 4.28 % in the same period in 2001. The mean diagnosis-related group (DRG)-weight was 0.8648 in 2000 and was 0.9078 in 2001. Total weight was 680.66 in 2000 and 495.69 in 2001, allowing an approximate saving of 329,162 Euros.


CONCLUSIONS
The opening of the SSOU has been useful in the assessment and treatment of common childhood diseases and has helped reduce the hospitalization rate, increase the complexity of inpatients and lower costs.
Gallinas Victoriano
F
F
Servicio de Urgencias Pediátricas, Hospital Virgen del Camino, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain. fivictoriano@hotmail.com
Herranz Aguirre
M
M
González Villar
M
M
Viguria Sánchez
N
N
Clerigué Arrieta
N
N
Olivera Olmedo
J E
JE
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006757:Hospital Units; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay; D010372:Pediatrics; D013030:Spain