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Patients are occasionally retained for observation at Riccarton Clinic in order to carefully monitor their status before deciding whether to refer the patient to hospital or that it is safe for them to go home. As we don't have dedicated observation facilities this is limited to a few hours, usually less than four.
The philosophy of observation is:
- To provide an area to care for any patient who has not been referred to hospital but whose condition necessitates a lengthy observation, not to exceed 4 hours
- To provide an area for observation for testing when a patient does not meet screening criteria for an acute care setting
- Deliver excellence in clinical care by correctly diagnosing heart attack (Myocardial Infarction or MI) or patients and more rapidly diagnosing acute coronary syndromes so that therapy may be implemented expediently
- Allow additional time to make difficult disposition decisions and, thus, allow more certainty of diagnosis
The ultimate goal is to improve the quality of medical care to patients through extended evaluation and treatment while reducing inappropriate admissions.