Observation Medicine Newsroom

September 5, 2018

So, You Had a Heart Attack When?

Many of us started an observation unit under the directive of “let’s have a place where we can rule out MIs.”

September 5, 2018

Use of the Emergency Department Observation Unit (EDOU) for Patients with Opioid Use Disorder

Nine months ago, we began an observation protocol for buprenorphine (Suboxone ®) induction in our EDOU. This idea came from our toxicology division, as they were trying to cope with the opioid epidemi...

February 6, 2018

Observation Units: An Intersection of Outpatient and Inpatient Quality

Dedicated, protocol-driven emergency department observation units are defined by value and have been proven to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care. Additionally, observation services delivered v...

February 4, 2018

Observation Medicine Innovations in Free Standing Emergency Medicine and Integrated Health Systems

As integrated healthcare systems continue to evolve, the existing and potential roles of observation units should be considered, due to their key strategic position at the outpatient-inpatient interfa...

February 3, 2018

Update: Self-Administered Home Medications in Observation

This year, an issue was presented to the ACEP Council regarding an important subject affecting our patients. Currently, there is a significant focus on unexpected and variable out-of-pocket costs for ...

February 2, 2018

Emergency Medicine Residency Training in Observation Medicine: The Time is Now

The protocol-driven dedicated observation unit, which is the model for emergency medicine (EM) observation, has resulted in lower costs, shorter lengths of stay, lower rates of inpatient admissions, b...

February 1, 2018

Message from the Chair

What a great year for Obs!  Every time I leave Scientific Assembly, I have a new energy to go back home and keep fighting the good fight.