The Massachusetts Division of Health Care Finance and Policy began collection of patient-level data on outpatient observation stays in acute care hospitals in July 1997. This is believed to be the first statewide database specifically focused on observation stays in the United States. Analysis of the first two full fiscal years of data permits description of the population of patients receiving care in the observation setting, and comparison with Massachusetts inpatients. The role of hospital type, payer, diagnosis, and age as predictors of observation utilization rates will be discussed. The substitution of observation stays for inpatient stays, and the relationship to decreases in inpatient hospital stays for certain ambulatory care-sensitive conditions, will also be described.
Learning Objectives: The participant will be able to: 1. Recognize the role of outpatient observation stays in the continuum of care. 2. Identify predictors of observation stays. 3. Describe characteristics of patients who receive observations stays vs. inpatient stays
Keywords: Ambulatory Care, Service Delivery
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.