ED Observation

Not a medicare patient- is there a required amount of time a patient needs to be in the ED before patient can be admitted to Observation? Somewhere along the way I was told 2 hours. If there is a requirement and not medicare is it in writing anywhere.
Thanks
medcoder

ED Observation

From the physician perspective, the patient starts in OBS as soon as the physician writes the order. The physician bill status should match the hospital's. Ask the hospital if the patient is in OBS status. That may be a facility rule but I've never heard of it.

ED Observation

There are no generally accepted time limits in the ED. You can never gauge times. It is all based on the severity of those patients in the ED at any given time, and that can and does change quickly depending upon what cases may come through the door.

Observation status would be determined by the physician order.