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Care of Acute Gastrointestinal Conditions in the Observation Unit.
Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2017 Aug;35(3):571-587
Authors: Ham JJ, Ordonez E, Wilkerson RG
Abstract
The Emergency Department Observation Unit (EDOU) provides a viable alternative to inpatient admission for the management of many acute gastrointestinal conditions with additional opportunities of reducing resource utilization and reducing radiation exposure. Using available evidence-based criteria to determine appropriate patient selection, evaluation, and treatment provides higher-quality medical care and improved patient satisfaction. Discussions of factors involved in creating an EDOU capable of caring for acute gastrointestinal conditions and clinical protocol examples of acute appendicitis, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and acute pancreatitis provide a framework from which a successful EDOU can be built.
PMID: 28711125 [PubMed - in process]