About Us

Our Clinical Decision Unit (CDU) meets the needs of patients who require evaluation, testing, treatment, and medical management for up to 24 hours. While in the CDU, physicians evaluate whether a patient can safely return home or whether the patient’s condition requires admission to an inpatient unit to continue his/her care. All CDU patient rooms are private and include cardiac monitoring capability.

• A dedicated team of nurses certified in advance cardiac life support or critical-care nursing;
• Follow-up testing in a timely manner while resting in a comfortable environment with state-of-the-art monitoring equipment readily available;
• Care coordinators who participate in every patient’s treatment plan and assist in keeping patients and companions informed throughout their stay;
• Private treatment rooms that are large enough to accommodate visitors. Each room is equipped with a television and patients can order meals through our Distinctive Dining Room Service Program.

Patients arriving at the Emergency Department (ED) with conditions or symptoms that expect to be resolved in less than 24 hours may be candidates for the CDU. Some examples are:

• Chest pain or discomfort;
• Congestive heart failure;
• Fainting;
• Transient neurological event (stroke-like symptoms);
• Flank pain due to kidney stones.

All Emergency Department patients are assessed by a physician who determines if the patient is a candidate for the CDU. Additionally, all patients admitted to the CDU meet certain clinical criteria and must be over the age of 17. If transfer to the CDU is deemed appropriate, the patient’s course of treatment is reviewed with their primary care physician or the physician on call from their primary care office who assumes care of the patient in the CDU. The typical length of stay for CDU patients is between 4-24 hours.

Patients in the CDU are admitted to Concord Hospital under “observation status.” The term “observation status” is used so that a physician can evaluate and monitor a patient’s condition to determine if further hospitalization and if interventions are necessary. During this time, a patient is cared for in the CDU allowing direct access to the diagnostic tools necessary to determine their healthcare needs, as well as provide the monitoring and evaluation skills of the CDU and medical staff.

Insurers and providers generally consider observation-level care to be covered as outpatient services. Therefore, it is important to understand that the patient may be responsible for some of the charges associated with a CDU stay.

Medicare Beneficiaries: Observation-level care is billed under Medicare Part B. Oral medications and/or pharmacy items that are normally self-administered are not covered by Medicare benefits, nor any convenience item that is not essential to the care of a patient. Patients are personally responsible for these charges.

Commercial Insurance: Observation-level care is billed as outpatient services. Coverage is dependent on the particular insurance plan and the outpatient coverage terms of an individual’s policy. Patients may be liable for pharmacy and convenience items in addition to any deductibles.

For more information call (603) 225-2711, ext. 3600.