[How many intensive care beds are necessary? A quantitative study with the Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System...

In five major Hessian hospitals all patients of critical care units have been grouped according to the Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System (TISS) over a time span of four weeks. The objective was to establish the critical care patient capacity needed in accordance with the Hessian Guidelines for Critical Care. Sample surveys showed that the ascertained data are highly reliable. 10,756 TISS-classifications have been evaluated in total. 9.4% of the classifications have been assigned to general ward, 27.5% to intensive monitoring and 63.1% to intensive treatment. Assuming a standard rate of use of 85% over the year this revealed an average requirement of critical care patient capacity of 6.1% of the total number of beds. The results of the investigation were readily accepted by health insurances and hospitals involved.