ICU Toolkit

Toolkit helps hospitals achieve ICU physician staffing standards

Michigan hospitals have demonstrated their commitment to improving patient safety and quality by participating in the Michigan Health and Safety Coalition's annual survey. The survey assesses hospital performance relative to guidelines for evidence-based best practices. The guidelines steer hospitals to use special physicians known as intensivists who are educated to provide ICU services. Additionally, the toolkit shows hospitals how to use intensivist-led teams and to adopt programs, policies and procedures that value ICU team involvement and improve safety.

The toolkit is a reference to help hospitals:

• Evaluate their ability to provide ICU care
• Identify the activities and resources needed to provide optimal care
• Implement new and strengthen ongoing patient safety improvement activities
• Measure improvements in patient and hospital outcomes of care
• Adopt an ICU model of care that reflects evidence-based best practices

Intensive Care Units: need for a new model of care

Millions of patients annually are admitted to an ICU; these patients are seriously ill and require complex care creating an environment where mistakes can occur. The goal is to create an environment where mistakes are less likely to occur despite the complexity of care being provided. The answer to improving the safety and quality of care offered to our most vulnerable patients is two-fold:

• Implement systems, processes and conditions that support top-quality performance
• Provide access to an adequate supply of the health professionals who are educated to provide ICU care, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists and others. Physicians who specialize in providing ICU services are known as intensivists.

Intensivists: The first choice

Having an intensivist on staff in the ICU is the single most important factor in reducing errors and improving quality. The intensivist provides leadership for the ICU, admits and discharges every patient and drives safety improvement efforts. While the current shortage of intensivists makes it difficult for all hospitals to adopt an intensivist model of care, the Coalition toolkit helps hospitals make valuable transitional steps.

About the toolkit

The toolkit was developed by a distinguished volunteer workgroup of health professionals, experienced in leading Intensive Care Units and improving safety and quality of care. The recommendations embodied in the toolkit are based on current research and best practices. The panel met in 2003 to develop recommendations based on the MH&SC ICU Physician Staffing Guideline.

ICU Toolkit web site

View the ICU Implementation Group Roster

MHSC ICU toolkit news release