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EDTUs May Decrease Hospitalization Rates For Adults With Acute Asthma CHICAGO, IL. -- October 20, 1997 -- Emergency diagnostic and treatment units (EDTUs) may offer an alternative to in-patient hospitalization for adults suffering from reversible diseases such as acute asthma, according to a study conducted by Michael McDermott, M.D., and colleagues at Chicago's Cook County Hospital and the University of Illinois. The study, funded by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR), tested the hypothesis that selected asthma patients could avoid an in-patient stay by undergoing an intensive treatment protocol of up to 12 hours in an EDTU. Their findings, which appear in the current issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, show most EDTU patients had clinical outcomes equivalent to the in-patients, overall lower costs, greater patient satisfaction and an improved quality of life. The authors chose the term EDTU to reflect an evolution in these types of units, which more often are referred to as observation units or holding units. "This study demonstrates how scientific research can provide new solutions to practical problems. It also shows that quality improvements and cost effectiveness can occur simultaneously in the real world," said AHCPR administrator John Eisenberg, M.D. "Our research shows that more than half of the asthmatic patients that we now admit to the hospital could be treated just as effectively in EDTUs -- at about half the cost," explained Dr. McDermott, who co-directs Cook County's EDTU and its Adult Asthma Clinic. In this study, the EDTU used a protocol with specific entry and discharge criteria. The EDTU patients also had to meet a prescribed schedule for therapy and response rates. "These features ensure that the EDTU meets standards governing the use of observation units and makes this intervention reproducible," Dr. McDermott added. The protocol also is likely to be effective for patients with less severe forms of asthma, the study notes. E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version