What is an emergency room (ER) observation unit?

Emergency room (ER) observation units, also referred to as clinical decision units, developed as a way to continue to provide care or continued evaluation of patients who typically do not meet inpatient admission status, but may need continued monitoring prior to leaving the ER or be admitted to the hospital. These units are designed to streamline this process with potentially dedicated beds, staff and guidelines on maximum length of stay, discharge and clinical responsibility. Examples of when a patient may be admitted to the observation unit could include chest pain that does not have a definable source but has the risk of developing into heart attack. Typically, if such a patient is observed, he may be placed on a cardiac monitor with serial blood draws and may even undergo further cardiac stress tests, but no treatment would be provided unless he was deemed to have a condition that would initiate inpatient status.