How Effective are Intensive Care Unit Beds Used in Our Region?
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Original Article
P: 485-491
December 2019

How Effective are Intensive Care Unit Beds Used in Our Region?

Turk J Anaesthesiol Reanim 2019;47(6):485-491
1. Ankara Province Heath Directorate Presidency of Public Hospitals, Ankara, Turkey
2. Ankara Atatürk Thoracic and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
3. Ankara Province Heath Directorate Presidency of Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Services, Ankara
4. Ankara Keçiören Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
5. Ankara Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
No information available.
No information available
Received Date: 03.10.2018
Accepted Date: 06.12.2018
Publish Date: 15.08.2019
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ABSTRACT

Objective:

The demand for critical care facilities is also growing in our country. The aim of the present study was to investigate the incidence and causes of inappropriate admissions to adult intensive care units (ICUs) in our region to facilitate the planning of bed numbers.

Methods:

A team of specialists made an unannounced visit to level 1, 2 and 3 adult ICUs in 12 hospitals in our region between June 2014 and January 2015. A total of 290 ICU patients were evaluated.

Results:

The rate of inappropriate ICU admission was 55.9%, and the most common reason was the lack of a lower level ICU. Palliative patients comprised 35.5% of the ICU patients, 68% of whom should have been in home care. The rate of inappropriate admission was 16.7% higher in open ICUs than in closed ICUs.

Conclusion:

Our results indicate that instead of increasing the number of beds in level 2 and 3 ICUs, hospitals should increase the number of level 1 ICU beds. In addition, we believe that the existing beds could be utilised more effectively if all ICUs implemented a closed management style and if there was better coordination between ICUs.