[Activity registration in intensive care units]

Intensive care treatment is expensive and its capacity is limited. The population of elderly patients with greater need for intensive care increases. It has become more important to evaluate the use of intensive care resources and to compare it with the results of treatment. Diagnoses do not provide a satisfactory description of the stay in the intensive care unit. Scoring systems for severity of illness and for resource needs are therefore of great value. The Norwegian Board of Health has requested all intensive care units in Norway to describe their activities by scoring systems for severity of illness, SAPS II (Simplified Acute Physiology Score II) and for use of resources NEMS (Nine Equivalents of Nursing Manpower Use Score). The systems are generally well recognised, easy to learn and not time-consuming. Through SAPS II and NEMS it is possible to compare results of treatment and use of resources across intensive care units or against a standard.