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Direct admission to the hospital: An alternative approach to hospitalization
Author(s) -
Leyenaar JoAnna K.,
Lagu Tara,
Lindenauer Peter K.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of hospital medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.128
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1553-5606
pISSN - 1553-5592
DOI - 10.1002/jhm.2512
Subject(s) - medicine , hospital medicine , hospital admission , hospital care , health care , medline , medical emergency , emergency department , emergency medicine , family medicine , nursing , law , economics , economic growth , political science
Appropriate use of emergency departments (EDs) is a focus of national healthcare reform efforts, and patients requiring hospital admission account for a substantial proportion of ED utilization. Despite this, little attention has been paid to evaluating direct admission to the hospital as an alternative to hospital admissions beginning in the ED. In this Perspective, we discuss the role of hospital medicine in the changing epidemiology of hospital admissions, the potential risks and benefits of direct admission to the hospital, and the need for research to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of this admission approach. We propose that transitions of care research and quality improvement, historically focused on hospital‐to‐home transitions, be expanded to address transitions into the hospital. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:303–305. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine