Observation Medicine
Because sometimes more time is needed to make the right decision about your care
When you come to the emergency department with chest or abdominal pain, trouble breathing, bleeding or other illness or injury, the severity of your condition might not be certain right away. Your doctors and nurses may need more time to observe you, run more tests or provide initial treatment before deciding whether you need to be admitted to the hospital.
Observation medicine enables your care team to make the right decisions about your care without rushing or missing crucial information.
Overview
When you come to the emergency department with chest or abdominal pain, trouble breathing, bleeding or other illness or injury, the severity of your condition might not be certain right away. Your doctors and nurses may need more time to observe you, run more tests or provide initial treatment before deciding whether you need to be admitted to the hospital.
Observation medicine enables your care team to make the right decisions about your care without rushing or missing crucial information.
Do I need Observation Medicine?
If your emergency physician recommends Observation Medicine, you’ll be kept for monitoring, testing and therapy, typically for less than 24 hours.
Conditions that can warrant observation include:
- Chest pain, which may or may not indicate heart attack
- Asthma attacks
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Allergic reactions
- Fainting
- High blood pressure
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Abdominal pain
- Minor trauma or injuries
- Infections requiring intravenous (IV) antibiotics
If you don’t need to be hospitalized, you’ll be released as soon as you’re ready to go home. Through observation medicine, your condition can be diagnosed with greater certainty while avoiding an unnecessary and costly hospital admission.
What kind of care can I get through Observation Medicine?
You may receive a wide array of diagnostic, monitoring and treatment options in the Observation Unit based on your specific condition and needs. Observation medicine services include:
Cardiac monitoring
If you have chest pain or other potential signs of cardiac trouble, your heart will be monitored continuously via electrocardiography (EKG). This type of monitoring can help detect a variety of conditions, including heart attack and problems with the rhythm of your heart. Several electrodes will be placed on your chest track your heart’s electrical activity. EKG is a painless diagnostic tool.
Imaging
Echocardiogram, nuclear medicine and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allow your care team to learn about the condition of your heart or other organs in a noninvasive manner.
Medicine
Depending on your individual diagnosis and symptoms, your doctor may decide to treat you with medicine as your symptoms are monitored and observed. For example, bronchodilators and corticosteroids might be appropriate if you have asthma.
What to Expect
Do I need Observation Medicine?
If your emergency physician recommends Observation Medicine, you’ll be kept for monitoring, testing and therapy, typically for less than 24 hours.
Conditions that can warrant observation include:
- Chest pain, which may or may not indicate heart attack
- Asthma attacks
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Allergic reactions
- Fainting
- High blood pressure
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Abdominal pain
- Minor trauma or injuries
- Infections requiring intravenous (IV) antibiotics
If you don’t need to be hospitalized, you’ll be released as soon as you’re ready to go home. Through observation medicine, your condition can be diagnosed with greater certainty while avoiding an unnecessary and costly hospital admission.
What kind of care can I get through Observation Medicine?
You may receive a wide array of diagnostic, monitoring and treatment options in the Observation Unit based on your specific condition and needs. Observation medicine services include:
Cardiac monitoring
If you have chest pain or other potential signs of cardiac trouble, your heart will be monitored continuously via electrocardiography (EKG). This type of monitoring can help detect a variety of conditions, including heart attack and problems with the rhythm of your heart. Several electrodes will be placed on your chest track your heart’s electrical activity. EKG is a painless diagnostic tool.
Imaging
Echocardiogram, nuclear medicine and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allow your care team to learn about the condition of your heart or other organs in a noninvasive manner.
Medicine
Depending on your individual diagnosis and symptoms, your doctor may decide to treat you with medicine as your symptoms are monitored and observed. For example, bronchodilators and corticosteroids might be appropriate if you have asthma.