ED Obs Home

Welcome to the St. Joseph Hospital ED Observation online Resource Page

This page is intended as a resource for employees at St. Joseph Hospital. It is not an official document of hospital policy and opinions, protocols and documents herein are not meant to reflect official communications of St. Joseph Hospital, Intermountain Health, Kaiser Permanente Colorado or any of their affiliates. Because lawyers.

This website is a work in progress, so if there are areas that are empty or look unfinished, don't be surprised.

If you notice any errors that need correction, or if you have any feedback while the site is under construction, please use the Suggest Improvements page to contact the webmaster.

News and Updates

ED Observation Status Order - 12/14/22

The order for changing a patient status (and thereby changing the color on trackboard) has changed. Please refer to the How to Admit to ED Obs page for a step by step.

Order Sets - 12/5/22

New Order Sets are on the way for ED Obs admissions. The revisions will include a few items from most ED Obs providers wishlists including:

  • Mandatory PRNs for Pain and Nausea Vomiting at time of Admission

  • Mandatory Diet (or NPO) order at time of admission

  • NO MORE VTE Prophylaxis Hard Stop

  • Less redundant and non-useful orders for ED Obs patients (e.g. Aztreonam or Cefepime for Pneumonia patients in ..... ED Obs?)

Unfortunately even once these revisions are finalized and approved it could be several months before they are updated in eSummit. I appreciate your patience. If you have suggestions for this process, now is the time to let me know. - DZ

Alcohol Withdrawal Pathway - 12/5/22

Alcohol withdrawal was a historical exclusion from ED Obs. However, we are piloting a new protocol for both Treatment and Prevention of Alcohol Withdrawal for ED observation patients. To learn more please visit the Alcohol Withdrawal page.

An Emphasis on Handoffs


Our new schedule structure has increased the number of handoffs that happen for ED obs patients. Handoffs are always a source of risk. We need to be tight about the way we do handoffs. Please make sure you've reviewed the Overnight Signout document to understand your responsibilities. A couple of key points to reiterate:

  • Cross Cover - The following shifts are responsible for ED Obs Cross Cover outside of the ED Obs shift times

    • 1600-2400

    • 2300-0600

  • It is an expectation that the physician covering ED Obs - daytime or overnight - will be assigned as the provider on the treatment team of all ED Obs patients.

  • If you place a patient in ED Obs outside of ED Obs physician coverage hours, you will continue to be responsible for this patient until you finish your shift and endorse the patient to the physician covering ED Obs.

  • It is your responsibility to sign out any patients, you put in ED Obs to the covering physician before you leave the building, and add them to the signout sheet. Please make sure to verbally discuss any pending labs or studies with the covering physician when you signout.