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Who Has an Unsuccessful Observation Care Stay?
Healthcare (Basel). 2018 Nov 27;6(4):
Authors: Gabayan GZ, Doyle B, Liang LJ, Donkor K, Huang DY, Sarkisian CA
Abstract
BACKGROUND: With the recent increase use of observation care, it is important to understand the characteristics of patients that utilize this care and either have a prolonged observation care stay or require admission.
METHODS: We a conducted a retrospective cohort study utilizing 5% sample data from Medicare patients age ≥65 years that was nationally representative in the year 2013. We performed a generalized estimating equation (GEE) logistic regression analysis to evaluate the relationship between an unsuccessful observation stay (defined as either requiring an inpatient admission from observation or having a prolonged observation stay) compared to having successful observation care. Observation cut offs of "successful" vs. "unsuccessful" were based on the CMS 2 midnight rule.
RESULTS: Of 154,756 observation stays in 2013, 19 percent (n = 29,604) were admitted to the inpatient service and 34,275 (22.2%) had a prolonged observation stay. The two diagnoses most likely to have an unsuccessful observation stay were intestinal infections (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.32⁻1.83) and pneumonia (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.13⁻1.41).
CONCLUSION: We found patients placed in observation care with intestinal infections and pneumonia to have the highest odds of either being admitted from observation or having a prolonged observation stay.
PMID: 30486381 [PubMed]