observation bed

observation bed

Holding bed Hospital care A status recognized by third-party payers-eg Medicare, health insurance companies and others, in which a Pt is admitted to the hospital for a period of 23 hrs and 59 mins–or more, depending on the 3^rd party with either a specific 'rule/out' diagnostic consideration–eg, appendicitis, angina, MI, or pneumonia; observation may also refer to a known Pt status, in which a previously diagnosed condition is managed under observation–eg, dehydration, anemia, etc; a  popular term for a bed occupied by a person in an outpatient observation status. See Observation services.