When you're not a hospital inpatient: observation care
March 09, 2009
"Observation" is a patient classification used by U.S. hospitals and it can cost the patient out of pocket dollars not covered by Medicare or other insurance plans.
Have you ever heard of observation care? If not, you’re not alone. Few people know about this increasingly common category of hospital care.
In a story today, I describe it as one step up from the emergency room and one step down from a hospital admission. People whose symptoms are troubling but not clearly defined can be candidates.
Think of a man who comes to the Emergency Room with chest pain that could be a symptom of a heart attack or just indigestion. In observation care, doctors can administer tests and short-term therapies and try to figure out what’s going on.