Pediatric observation units.
Pediatric observation units (OUs) are hospital areas used to provide medical evaluation and/or management for health-related conditions in children, typically for a well-defined, brief period. Pediatric OUs represent an emerging alternative site of care for selected groups of children who historically may have received their treatment in an ambulatory setting, emergency department, or hospital-based inpatient unit. This clinical report provides an overview of pediatric OUs, including the definitions and operating characteristics of different types of OUs, quality considerations and coding for observation services, and the effect of OUs on inpatient hospital utilization.
Gregory P
GP
Conners
Sanford M
SM
Melzer
James M
JM
Betts
Maribeth B
MB
Chitkara
Jennifer A
JA
Jewell
Patricia S
PS
Lye
Laura J
LJ
Mirkinson
Kathy N
KN
Shaw
Alice D
AD
Ackerman
Thomas H
TH
Chun
Gregory P
GP
Conners
Nanette C
NC
Dudley
Joel A
JA
Fein
Susan M
SM
Fuchs
Brian R
BR
Moore
Steven M
SM
Selbst
Joseph L
JL
Wright
D002648:Child; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D014481:United States