Patients in intensive care units that were led by intensivists had a shorter hospital length of stay than patients in ICUs that were not led by intensivists, according to a study in Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
In October 2008, a regional medical center changed its ICU model from an open ICU, in which general physicians care for patients, to an ICU where intensivists have primary responsibility or co-management of all patients. Researchers studied 847 patients in two different time periods — one from June to September 2008, which occurred before the model changed, and one from June to September 2009, which was after the new model was implemented.
Patients in the ICU after the model changed to an intensivist-led ICU had a shorter length of stay and a trend toward decreased mortality compared with patients in the open ICU. The mortality rate of sepsis patients in the intensivist-led ICU was less than the rate in the open ICU.
In addition, compliance with evidence-based ICU practices, including timely initiation of deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis and timely initiation of nutritional support, was higher in the intensivist-led ICU than in the open ICU, according to the study.
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In October 2008, a regional medical center changed its ICU model from an open ICU, in which general physicians care for patients, to an ICU where intensivists have primary responsibility or co-management of all patients. Researchers studied 847 patients in two different time periods — one from June to September 2008, which occurred before the model changed, and one from June to September 2009, which was after the new model was implemented.
Patients in the ICU after the model changed to an intensivist-led ICU had a shorter length of stay and a trend toward decreased mortality compared with patients in the open ICU. The mortality rate of sepsis patients in the intensivist-led ICU was less than the rate in the open ICU.
In addition, compliance with evidence-based ICU practices, including timely initiation of deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis and timely initiation of nutritional support, was higher in the intensivist-led ICU than in the open ICU, according to the study.
More Articles on Intensivists and ICUs:
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Study: Not All ICUs Have Reduced Mortality With Nighttime Intensivist Staffing