Medical intensive care unit consults occurring within 48 hours of admission: a prospective study.

Rationale: Critical care consults requested shortly after admission could represent a triage error. This consult process has not been adequately assessed, and data are retrospective relying on discharge diagnoses.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to identify reasons for medical Intensive care unit (MICU) consultations within 48 hours of admission and to detect differences between those accepted and those denied MICU admission.

External validation of the risk assessment model of the International Medical Prevention Registry on Venous Thromboembolism (IMPROVE) for medical patients in a tertiary health system.

Background: Hospitalized medical patients are at risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Universal application of pharmacological thromboprophylaxis has the potential to place a large number of patients at increased bleeding risk. In this study, we aimed to externally validate the International Medical Prevention Registry on Venous Thromboembolism (IMPROVE) VTE risk assessment model in a hospitalized general medical population.

Modifying the risk: once-a-day bathing "at risk" patients in the intensive care unit with chlorhexidine gluconate.

Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) decreases hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that can cause colonization and infection. A standard approach is the bathing of all patients with CHG to prevent MRSA transmission. To decrease CHG utilization, this study assessed selective daily administration of CHG bathing to intensive care unit patients who had an MRSA-positive result or a central venous catheter.

Admission decisions to a medical intensive care unit are based on functional status rather than severity of illness. A single center experience.

Background: Few data exist on Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) triage practices. We assessed MICU triage practices in our medical center.

Methods: We collected data on all MICU consultations for one year, including each patient's APACHE II score at time of consultation.

Using high-technology to enforce low-technology safety measures: the use of third-party remote video auditing and real-time feedback in healthcare.

Background: Hand hygiene is a key measure in preventing infections. We evaluated healthcare worker (HCW) hand hygiene with the use of remote video auditing with and without feedback.

Methods: The study was conducted in an 17-bed intensive care unit from June 2008 through June 2010.