• Margarita E Pena, Viviane M Kazan, Michael N Helmreich, and Sharon E Mace.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, St. John Hospital and Medical Center, 22101 Moross Road, Detroit, MI 48236, USA; Department of Emergency Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 540 E. Canfield Street, Detroit, MI, USA. Electronic address: margarita.pena@ascension.org.
• Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. 2017 Aug 1; 35 (3): 625-645.

AbstractIn adults, respiratory disorders are the second most frequent diagnoses treated in emergency department observation units (EDOUs) and account for the most frequent indication for placement of pediatric patients into an EDOU. With appropriate patient selection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations, and community-acquired pneumonia can be managed in the EDOU. EDOU management results in equivalent or better outcomes than inpatient care with decreased length of stay, increased patient satisfaction, lower cost and in some studies decreased mortality. Evidence-based protocols are important to ensure appropriate patients are placed in the EDOU, standardize best practice interventions, and guide disposition decisions.Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

22 keywords...

hide…