'Hybrid' obs unit offsets 60% volume growth.
Many ED managers know that an observation unit can be an important tool in relieving ED overcrowding and controlling length of stay. However, the ED at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center has gone a step farther and created a "hybrid" observation unit. This unit allows them to quickly remove not one, but two distinct populations from the ED proper. While the first population includes traditional obs patients, the second population includes patients identified that are stable medically but will require an extended time for evaluation or workup represents the second population. Criteria also include stable vital signs and lack of an emergent surgical presentation. Midlevel providers handle much of the ongoing care, exams, and additional imaging requirements.
D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009657:North Carolina; D019370:Observation; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010346:Patient Care Management