What is a Definitive Observation Unit?
A Definitive Observation Unit (DOU) is a unit in a hospital which provides the second-highest level of care. Patients may be booked directly into the DOU when they arrive at the hospital, or they may be transferred into the DOU from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) once they have been stabilized. A wide variety of patients may spend time in a Definitive Observation Unit, receiving attentive care from specially trained nurses and medical teams.
