What is Observation Status in the hospital?

Observation status is a classification that is used for patients who are receiving hospital care, but are not formally admitted as inpatients. Patients on observation status are typically monitored in a hospital or outpatient setting for a certain period of time to determine the most appropriate course of treatment. Observation status is often used for patients who are experiencing an acute illness or injury and need to be monitored for a short period of time to see how they respond to treatment. Observation status is different from being an inpatient, which means that the patient has been formally admitted to the hospital and is expected to stay for at least one night. The length of time that a patient is on observation status can vary, but it is usually less than 24 hours.