Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 16, 2026

Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools
11:29

Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools

Published on: June 20, 2020

10.0K

Observation-status patients in children's hospitals with and without dedicated observation units in 2011

Michelle L Macy1, Matthew Hall2, Elizabeth R Alpern3

  • 1Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Journal of Hospital Medicine
|March 11, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Dedicated pediatric observation units (OU) increase same-day discharges but do not affect overall length of stay or costs. Further data on care location is needed for comprehensive comparisons of hospital care models.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric healthcare quality
  • Hospital operational efficiency
  • Healthcare administration

Background:

  • Pediatric observation units (OUs) are known to reduce length of stay (LOS) and care costs.
  • However, the impact of dedicated OUs on overall hospital-level outcomes for observation-status stays remains unevaluated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare outcomes of observation-status stays in hospitals with and without dedicated OUs.
  • To analyze the influence of dedicated OUs on LOS, costs, inpatient conversion, and return care.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional analysis was performed using hospital administrative data.
  • Outcomes for observation-status stays were compared between hospitals with and without dedicated OUs in 2011.
  • Data included 136,239 stays across 31 children's hospitals.

Main Results:

  • Hospitals with dedicated OUs had a higher percentage of same-day discharges (23.8% vs. 22.1%).
  • Risk-adjusted LOS and standardized costs were similar between hospitals with and without dedicated OUs.
  • Conversion to inpatient status was higher in hospitals with dedicated OUs (11.06% vs. 9.63%).
  • Return visits and readmissions were comparable.

Conclusions:

  • Dedicated pediatric OUs appear to influence same-day and morning discharges.
  • The presence of a dedicated OU did not negatively impact other hospital-level outcomes like LOS, costs, or readmissions.
  • Future administrative datasets should include care location to enable better comparisons of hospital care models.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies10:38

Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies

Published on: January 16, 2019

21.1K
Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System ANS Activity in Children09:45

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System ANS Activity in Children

Published on: April 29, 2013

21.6K

Related Concept Videos

Naturalistic Observations02:30

Naturalistic Observations

If you want to understand how behavior occurs, one of the best ways to gain information is to simply observe the behavior in its natural context. However, people might change their behavior in unexpected ways if they know they are being observed. How do researchers obtain accurate information when people tend to hide their natural behavior? As an example, imagine that your professor asks everyone in your class to raise their hand if they always wash their hands after using the restroom. Chances...
18.2K
Observational Studies01:11

Observational Studies

Observational studies are a type of analytical study where researchers observe events without any interventions. In other words, the researcher does not influence the response variable or the experiment's outcome.
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One...
11.6K
Hospitals-II00:59

Hospitals-II

Hospitals provide inpatient and outpatient services. Inpatient services provide care to patients that stay in the hospital for an extended period, ranging from days to months. Examples of inpatient services include intensive care units, hospital wards, or surgeries. Outpatient services provide care to patients who come to a hospital for a diagnostic or treatment but do not stay overnight —for example, diagnostic tests, surgical procedures, or health education.
Nurses that work in...
1.3K
Hospitals-I01:28

Hospitals-I

Hospitals offer medical and surgical care to the sick and injured, along with accommodation while they recover. At the same time, they also provide outpatient, emergency, psychiatric, and rehabilitation services to meet various community needs. In addition to providing medical care, hospitals also act as hubs for medical research and training. Hospitals use clinical procedures and evidence-based practice standards to deliver patient care. To deliver safe and efficient care, a nurse must stay up...
2.2K
Data Collection by Observations01:08

Data Collection by Observations

Data collection refers to a systematic way of obtaining, observing, measuring, and analyzing accurate information. Observational studies are one of the most widely used methods of data collection. It involves collecting data by observing the behavior and physical characteristics of a sample without making any modifications to the sample.
An astronomer viewing the motion and brightness of stars in the sky and recording the data is an example of observational data collection. A botanist recording...
15.8K
Pulse rhythm01:30

Pulse rhythm

Pulse rhythm refers to the pattern of pulsations within specific intervals, offering valuable insights into the regularity or irregularity of the heart's beats as observed through the pattern of pulsation within specific intervals. A regular pulse exhibits a consistent heart rate with uniform waveforms and pulsation force, variations of which can be classified as normal, weak, or bounding.
Conversely, an irregular pulse pattern is termed dysrhythmia, stemming from disruptions in cardiac...
1.7K