Definition of the bed-guiding ward in an emergency department: expert consensus statements for clinical acute and emergency medicine

In hospitals providing extended and complex emergency care, an observation ward is a mandatory requirement. However, the function of the stationary setting of an emergency department has not been clearly clarified to date. Taking into account the G-BA (German Federal Joint Committee) decision and the empirical values in clinical acute and emergency medicine, experts have joined forces and defined the terms regarding the functions of an in-patient unit-observation unit and admission ward-in an emergency department for the first time.