Clinical Decision Unit (CDU)
Saint John’s Health Center has significantly expanded its Emergency Department to more efficiently and effectively care for its patients. By adding beds and increasing efficiency, a greater number of less seriously ill or injured patients can now be treated more quickly than ever while the continued outstanding care of those with serious injuries or illnesses is ensured. One important aspect of that expansion has been creation of a Clinical Decision Unit (CDU).
The CDU is an innovative addition to the philosophy of comprehensive emergency care in a community hospital setting. It is designed for emergency care patients who require ongoing observation, including outpatient testing or treatment, for up to 24 hours, but who do not require admission to the inpatient hospital setting.
The Saint John’s CDU is a six-bed observation unit. It is situated on Ground South adjacent to Emergency Department Fast Track area and is staffed by a team of nurses who are certified in advanced cardiac life support and who have experience in either telemetry or critical-care nursing. Once there, these patients may be observed in the most comfortable setting possible until it is determined whether they should be admitted to the inpatient setting or discharged safely home.
When a patient enters the CDU, the patient’s primary care physician determines the necessary testing or treatment needed; Registered Nurses are present to monitor patients at all times. If a condition requires inpatient treatment, the patient is admitted to the hospital under the care of the admitting physician.
In general, observation patients have already been identified as stable following a medical screening examination in the Emergency Department. Many are awaiting further tests to determine whether they are stable enough to be sent home or whether they meet the hospital’s established criteria for admission as an inpatient. Only those who are not in danger are discharged.
In the CDU, patients receive one overriding benefit: they receive all of the care they need without being subjected unnecessarily to a hospital inpatient admission. Additionally, they avoid long waits in what can become a fast-paced emergency department. The hospital also benefits by utilizing its resources in the most efficient manner possible while maximizing the services it provides to patients.
The CDU was initially established to expedite patients through the Emergency Department, and it has done that with great success. Patients receive outpatient testing in an expedient manner while they rest in comfort knowing that state-of-the-art emergency technology such as cardiac monitoring is readily available at each patient bedside.
While traditional emergency care is an essential service, not everyone requires the same level of care. While awaiting testing and important clinical answers, the Saint John’s Clinical Decision Unit is the place to be.
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