NHRMC will unveil its new Observation Unit at an open house from 1-4 p.m. Thursday, November 1. Located adjacent to the NHRMC Emergency Department, across from the Neurodiagnostic Center, this 14-space unit will allow the transition of many of our existing observation patients from the Wrightsville area of the ED. This space will be supported by dedicated hospitalists, including the future addition of Advanced Practice Providers, nursing staff and care management.
The unit will open for patients on November 5.
Observation Units optimize the management and care of select patients, usually, for 8 to 36 hours, to assess their need for inpatient admission or provide protocol-driven interventions for specific illnesses or injuries, such as abdominal pain, CHF or asthma/COPD.
In many cases, placement in an observation unit prevents an admission for the patient, reducing their time in the hospital but ensuring a smooth transition to additional outpatient or home care. Our goal is to provide the best possible experience for those who need a little more time but do not need a traditional hospital stay.
This initiative emanated from the work of NHRMC's flow and throughput team, which is implementing several strategies to use our inpatient beds to best serve our patients.