Better collaboration between the ED and hospitalists. A more satisfying patient experience. The majority of admissions discharged home. Shorter lengths of stay.
These are the results being achieved at hospitals nationwide thanks to the advantages provided by our Clinical Decision Unit (CDU).
A well-run CDU speeds patient turnaround and improves throughput. Patients move out of the ED more quickly instead of waiting there for hours to see if they get better. ED beds open up faster because patients transfer to the CDU for observation. Plus, hospitals benefit through optimal management of patients usually not requiring full admission.
CDUs help reduce costs
CDUs have a critical, very positive financial impact. They reduce costs by reducing readmissions. Plus, CDUs optimize resource utilization and support Value Based Purchasing.
In addition, services implemented in the CDU, such as observation protocols, have proven to reduce costs up to 70% compared to inpatient fees.
CDUs improve satisfaction
CDUs help build staff and patient satisfaction.
Your staff is more satisfied, focusing on the patients who truly need their specialized care. ED staff and hospitalists also enjoy a more satisfying collaboration.
Patients and families are more satisfied because they receive more efficient care, with less wasted time and shorter lengths of stay. The majority of patients are discharged without admission within 8 to 15 hours.
See the difference a well-run CDU can make in your hospital
One recent case study adds to the proof of the effectiveness of CDUs. When implemented at Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital, Compton, California, the results were dramatic:
- Collaboration between ED and hospitalists improved
- Patient satisfaction went up significantly
- Admissions soared, from -36 in January to 149 in September
- 85% of admissions to the CDU are discharged home
- The average length of stay (LOS) is currently 17 hours and trending lower
Reasons for Establishing
- Management of observation-level patients
- Optimal utilization of ED and inpatient resources
- Avoidance of unnecessary admissions
- Financial impacts:
- Re-admissions
- Value-Based Purchasing
Improved All-Around Satisfaction
- Ability to care for more patients in the ED
- Improved patient and family satisfaction
- Improved staff satisfaction
- Stronger relationship with hospitalists
- Decreased LOS (majority of patients are discharged without admission within 8-15 hours)
- Decreased cost (OBS protocols have been shown to reduce cost 50%-70% compared to inpatient costs)
This CDU was a collaborative effort of the hospital and provider-owned US Acute Care Solutions. Our experience and expertise with CDUs – as well as ED management plus hospitalist, intensive care, telehealth, and surgicalist services – may benefit your hospital too.
To see what our CDU can do for you, contact us today.