Five Statistics that Impact the Delivery of Critical Care

Healthcare professionals with critical care certification are responsible for diagnosing and treating patients with life threatening conditions. The increased need for critical care services, paired with a shortage of professionals specializing in this area is making a significant impact on how care is being delivered in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Here are five statistics that impact critical care delivery.

1. Increasing patient volume in ICU facilities

In the United States, there are approximately 6,000 ICUs, which provide care for 55,000 patients each day. In 2001 alone, the total number of adult ICU beds was 66,199; the total number of pediatric ICU beds was 20,610.

2. Rise of an aging population

The aging U.S. population, largely due to the baby boomer generation, has led to an increased need for critical care. Between 1991 and 2004, the number of critical care patients over the age of 85 increased from 4.1 percent to 6.9 percent.

3. Shortage of professionals equipped with critical care certification

While there has been an increase in the number of fellows in critical care subspecialty programs, critical care delivery is still not meeting patient demand. In fact, research has suggested that the demand for critical care will create a shortfall of intensivist hours equal to 35 percent of demand by the year 2020.

4. Reduced length of patient stay

Patients recover faster when treated by a specialist with critical care delivery certification; it is projected that a 30 percent reduction of length of stay for ICU patients can be achieved when care is delivered by an intensivist-directed team. According to research, the average length of stay for a patient treated by an intensivist is 6.1 days, compared to 9.3 days when a patient instead receives care from an attending physician.

5. Cost savings due to intensivist-directed teams

While ICU patients occupy only 10 percent of impatient beds, almost 30 percent of acute care hospital costs can be attributed to their care, which amounts to $180 billion each year in the United States. It is estimated that up to $13 million can be saved annually when care is delivered by an intensivist-directed team.

About Health Ed Solutions
Health Ed Solutions (HES) is a leading provider of online certification courses for intensivists and other healthcare professionals and first responders and provides Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) and pediatric advanced life support (PALS) courses. HES additionally offers the American Heart Association’s HeartCode® ACLS Part 1 course.

For individuals preparing for the ACLS or PALS exam, Health Ed Solutions offers a series of practice tests and quizzes, which provide questions similar to those found on the actual certification exam. HES’ practice quizzes are free and offer users three five-question sample tests. Full certification and recertification practice tests cost $35 and provide users with 50 timed multiple-choice questions. A portion of this fee can be applied to the purchase price of the full certification course.