Background: An emergency department observation and short term unit is analyzed, and the conditions appropriate for it.
Methods: Four hundred patients admitted consecutively were evaluated. Demographic, and clinical data, complementary tests performed, diagnosis, destination and revisits to the emergency department were analyzed.
Results: The 57% of the patients were over 65 years. Complementary tests were performed in all patients. 42% were discharged home without hospitalization, being syncope, intoxication and epilepsy the most common diagnosis. The 1.8% of the patients no hospitalized revisted to emergency department during the next 72 hours.
Conclusion: Emergency department observation and short term units can reduce hospitalization and health care costs and improve the quality of medical care through extended evaluation and treatment.