Board certified intensivists
Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement
Record ID 32003000539
English
Authors' objectives:
This review aims to assess the available evidence on the effectiveness of board certified intensivists in intensive care units (ICUs).
Authors' recommendations:
With regard to board certified intensivists the ICSI Technology Assessment Committee finds:
High-intensity staffing of board certified intensivists (closed ICU or ICU with mandatory intensivist consultation) is associated with a decreased ICU mortality, decreased hospital mortality, decreased ICU length of stay, and decreased hospital length of stay in numerous non-randomized controlled studies (Conclusion Grade II).
The optimal model of high-intensity staffing is unclear and the mechanism whereby board certified intensivists decrease mortality and morbidity is unknown.
Intensivist systems are restricted due to manpower issues. There are not enough intensivists to properly staff all ICUs at this time. Hospitals should analyze the feasibility of board certified intensivists in terms of cost and adequate support teams including subspecialty consultations before implementation.
Board certified intensivist physicians described in the published literature are safe relative to non-intensivist physicians.
Authors' methods:
Review
Details
Project Status:
Completed
URL for project:
http://www.icsi.org/index.asp
Year Published:
2003
English language abstract:
An English language summary is available
Publication Type:
Not Assigned
Country:
United States
MeSH Terms
- Education, Medical
- Critical Care
- Intensive Care Units
Contact
Organisation Name:
Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement
Contact Address:
8009 34th Avenue South, Suite 1200, Bloomington, MN, USA. Tel: +1 952 814 7060; Fax: +1 952 858 9675
Contact Name:
icsi.info@icsi.org
Contact Email:
icsi.info@icsi.org
Copyright:
Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI)
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.