Study Design

Abstract

The intensive care unit (ICU) is, after the operating theater, the most expensive ward in the modern hospital. Generally speaking, the ICU admits annually 5% of the total hospital admissions and consumes approximately 20% of the hospital budget. In a pilot survey of ICUs in Europe, tremendous and unpredictable diversity has been documented with respect to the organization of ICUs in the countries of the European Community [1]. This diversity has been examined by a European multidisciplinary task force under the auspices and general support of the Foundation for Research on Intensive Care in Europe (FRICE) and the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM). A major requirement was found to be the definition and use of a minimal set of data which could indicate the “business” characteristics of each ICU and, at the same time, allow for comparisons of different ICUs. The task force concluded that the reorganization of intensive care in a more rational way (at micro and macro levels) is necessary. It also reviewed and recommended ways and methods of research to achieve these goals [2].