An analysis of referrals to a level 3 intensive care unit in a resource-limited setting in South Africa.

Background: With a shortage of intensive care unit (ICU) beds and rising healthcare costs in resource-limited settings, clinicians need to appropriately triage admissions into ICU to avoid wasteful expenditure and unnecessary bed utilisation.

Objectives: To assess the nature, appropriateness and outcome of referrals to a tertiary centre ICU.

Methods: A retrospective review of ICU consults from September 2016 to February 2017 at King Edward VIII Hospital was performed.