Emerging trends in ICU management and staffing

Managed care and reduced reimbursement for services have forced hospitals t o focus on ICU costs and to reassess the optimal approach to improving pati ent care outcomes in a cost-efficient manner. This article addresses the va rious staffing and organizational models that are currently being introduce d or considered for intermediate or long-term implementation. It is likely that greater oil-site intensivist coverage in critical care units will be o bserved and possibly mandated in the future. We provide a forecast of the f uture of critical care organization and staffing over the next 5 years. It is our belief that advances in technology and regionalization of critical c are services will provide real opportunities for creative and nontraditiona l strategies for intensivists to deliver improved care to critically ill pa tients.