Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2020
Intensive care unit occupancy and premature discharge rates: A cohort study assessing the reporting of quality indicators.
ICU occupancy fluctuates. High levels may disadvantage patients. Currently, occupancy is benchmarked annually which may inaccurately reflect strained units. Outcomes potentially sensitive to occupancy include premature (early) ICU discharge and non-clinical transfer (NCT). This study assesses the association between daily occupancy and these outcomes, and evaluates benchmarking care across Scotland using daily occupancy. ⋯ We demonstrate a clear association between daily ICU occupancy and early discharge/NCT. Daily occupancy may better benchmark care quality than mean annual occupancy.
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To investigate if patient sex affects intensive care unit (ICU) admission and discharge patterns. Specifically, we investigate if the patients sex affects length of stay (LOS) and probability of ICU discharge and 30- and 90-day mortality. ⋯ In this large cohort study of critically ill patients we have shown that women and men had an equal length of stay, but women had a significantly higher probability of being discharged. There was no difference in mortality between women and men.