HOK's Healthcare Consulting group examines the benefits and pitfalls of observation care and reveals how short-term outpatient stays can impact patient health outcomes and hospital finances.
The number of people placed in observation care has grown rapidly in the U.S. Yet its popularity doesn’t always make it the best choice for hospitals or their patients. In this brief informational primer, HOK consultants Anthony Rosania (M.D., M.H.A.) and Kathleen Schwarz (R.N, M.P.A.) explain how observation care can be used to improve patient health and mitigate financial risks. They outline how its lessons can help hospitals improve all patient stays—regardless of their distinction as “outpatient” or “inpatient.”