UHC Opens up Eight-Bed Observation Department
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on August 23, 2022
WVU Medicine United Hospital Center (UHC) recently completed an eight-bed Observation Department to streamline Emergency Department (ED) operations and expedite care for short-term stay patients. ED visits to UHC total more than 50,000 annually, making it one of the busiest in the state. 
"A real dilemma for hospitals across the country has been how to treat patients that enter the ED but are not well enough for immediate discharge or sick enough to qualify for inpatient status,” said Stephanie Smart, MSN, RN, vice president of nursing at UHC. "Research provides that observation departments help to shorten hospital length of stay, reducing overall healthcare cost, while improving healthcare outcomes”.
A regular hospital admission is for longer lengths of stay, usually three to five days; however, observation status patients have readily treatable conditions and can be quickly stabilized and then released from the hospital, often times within one to two days.
"With the opening of this department, UHC will be able to provide a more appropriate environment than that of the ED for patients requiring extended evaluation and care,” said Sharon Mitchell, RN, department director. "These patients can be treated in a short hospital stay, while at the same time stabilizing their condition within the first 24 hours”.
Treatment conditions in observation may include, but not limited to dehydration due to vomiting, which requires IV fluids and anti-nausea medications. Another example is early diagnosis of simple, uncomplicated infections that require IV antibiotics. However, the most common condition treated is chest pain, not caused by a heart attack, but still requires an EKG (heart tracing), multiple laboratory studies, and possibly a stress test procedure.
“Having observation patients in a dedicated department will allow UHC to increase inpatient bed availability and improve ED through put during peak times, as well as support patient satisfaction,” said David F. Hess, MD, president and CEO at UHC. “An observation department will also help to shorten the length of stay for most patients and it will permit UHC to manage its patient load more efficiently.”
The department will be staffed by physicians, advance practice providers, and nurses. Patients will have the ability to have family members at their bedside during their stay. It will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Editor's Note: Pictured in the new Observation Department at UHC from back, left Brandy (Harris) McDaniels, BSN, RN, float pool, and pictured left front, Stephanie Smart, MSN, RN, vice president of Nursing and Sharon Mitchell, RN, department director.
