Evidence-based ICU-bed planning
Wild C, Narath M, Frank W
Record ID 32002000866
German
Authors' objectives:
The demand for ICU-services is increasing in all western countries and complaints about a lack of ICU-beds arise - independent of the actual density of ICU-services in the countries. The demand for more ICU-beds triggered a debate on whether it is possible to define an "objective" need. It was the aim of the assessment to analyse conventional as well as innovative planning approaches and to define the determinants of the demand.
Authors' results and conclusions:
- Recent planning-documents: A review of trends in recent planning shows that all planners calculate on the basis of existing style of practice within their countries; the figures change only marginally. But while planners in countries with a relatively low ICU-bed density (GB, Australia, Canada) certify a certain need for an increase, planners in countries with high density (USA, Germany, Austria) state a "satisfied need" and ev. an over- provision of ICU-services.
- Innovative planners apply an "appropriateness of ICU-use" approach with analysing the scores (esp. TISS) and propose a more flexible organisation of ICUs and a higher proportion of IMCU-beds.
- Clinical and ICU-management tools, such as admission and discharge guidelines, strategies to reduce treatment-variabilities, certain organisational changes (leadership, horizontal hierarchy) and costing methods gain importance for better, more efficient and coordinated use of ICU-resources.
Authors' recommendations:
In countries with a high density of ICU-services - such as Austria - not an expanding of the capacities, but a better use of the existing resources is recommended. For a fair comparison, participation in national databases, in registers as well as benchmarking and quality-assurance programs should be enforced.
Authors' methods:
Systematic review
Details
Project Status:
Completed
URL for project:
http://eprints.hta.lbg.ac.at/598/
Year Published:
2002
English language abstract:
An English language summary is available
Publication Type:
Not Assigned
Country:
Austria
MeSH Terms
- Hospital Bed Capacity
- Intensive Care Units
Contact
Organisation Name:
Institute of Technology Assessment
Contact Address:
Ludwig Boltzmann Institut fur Health Technology Assessment, Garnisongasse 7/rechte Stiege Mezzanin (Top 20) 1090 Vienna, Austria. Tel: +43 (0)1 236 8119 12; Fax: +43 (0)1 236 8119 99
Contact Name:
beate.guba@hta.igb.ac.at
Contact Email:
beate.guba@hta.igb.ac.at
Copyright:
Institute of Technology Assessment (ITA)
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.