[MONITORING UNITS IN DEPARTMENTS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE: FREQUENCY, IMPACT AND SATISFACTION].

Background: Due to increasing numbers of elderly, seriously ill patients and shortage of ICU beds, many hospitals have established monitoring units (MU) in their medical departments.

Objectives: (1) To assess the national prevalence of MUs in medical departments; (2) to determine the outcome of consecutively admitted MU patients; (3) to evaluate patient/ family satisfaction with care.

Methods: The case control study included all 123 patients hospitalized in the MU during a 5-month period, compared with two control groups: (1) 123 patients admitted to medical departments, matched at a ratio of 1:1 by gender, age±10 years and mechanical ventilation; (2) all 52 medical patients treated in the ICU.