Impact of staffing a surgical intermediate care unit with a critical care specialist.

Aim: To assess the impact of reorganising an 11-bed surgical intermediate care unit (IMCU) from an open to a semi-closed system in a Swiss University Hospital by adding a critical care specialist (CCS).

Methods: This was a cohort study including adult IMCU patients enrolled in an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocol in the Department of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital, from 1 February 2014 to 31 January 2016. Medical supervision by a CCS was implemented on 1 February 2015.

Results: Introduction of a CCS in a surgical IMCU significantly reduced intensive care unit length of stay (p = 0.005) and potentially preventable operation (p = 0.04) for patients undergoing oesophageal surgery. A CCS in IMCU also proved to significantly reduce readmission in IMCU for hepatic surgery patients (p = 0.04). For other sub-specialties (colorectal, pancreatic and gastric bypass surgery) no significant difference could be found.

Conclusions: Reorganisation of a surgical IMCU from an open to a semi-closed system by implementing supervision by a CCS decreased length of stay and complications for the most fragile surgical patients (oesophageal and hepatic patients) after 12 months of implementation.