title: ED observation unit targets 24-hour stays.
abstract: Faced with denials for short stays and pressure to get patients out of the emergency department, Massachusetts General Hospital established an emergency department observation unit for patients whose stays are likely to be 24 hours or less. The emergency department and case management staff compiled a list of diagnoses and complaints that typically result in short stays and target those for transfer to the unit. The unit has a dedicated staff that includes nurses, case managers, nurse practitioners, and a physical therapist who evaluates patients each morning. The team concentrates on ensuring that patients get the services and evaluations they need to be discharged in 24 hours.
mesh_terms: D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000191:economics; D007902:Length of Stay; D008404:Massachusetts; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D057832:Watchful Waiting / Q000458:organization & administration*