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Updated: Jul 6, 2026
10:38
Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies
Published on: January 16, 2019
Development and simultaneous application of multiple care protocols in critical care: a multicenter feasibility study
Jukka Takala1, R Philip Dellinger, Kati Koskinen
1Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Bern University Hospital, 3010, Bern, Switzerland. jukka.takala@insel.ch
Intensive Care Medicine
|April 4, 2008
Summary
Software-driven critical care protocols for cardiovascular management, sedation, and weaning were feasible and rapidly achieved treatment goals in cardiac surgery and septic patients. Protocol use demonstrated high acceptance and may offer a performance indicator.
Area of Science:
- Critical care medicine
- Clinical informatics
- Health systems research
Background:
- Implementing standardized treatment protocols in intensive care units (ICUs) can improve patient outcomes.
- Software-driven protocols offer a scalable and consistent approach to critical care management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and interaction of three simultaneous software-driven critical care protocols.
- To assess the acceptance and effectiveness of these protocols in diverse patient populations.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study in six European and American university hospital ICUs.
- Application of software-driven protocols for cardiovascular management, sedation, and weaning in 174 cardiac surgery and 41 septic patients.
- Evaluation of protocol utilization, discontinuation reasons, and time to achieve primary treatment goals.
Main Results:
- Protocols were used simultaneously in 85% of cardiac surgery patients and 44% of septic patients.
- High acceptance with discontinuation in 12% by clinicians and 6% for technical reasons.
- Rapid achievement of hemodynamic stability, sedation targets, and timely extubation post-weaning.
Conclusions:
- Multiple software-driven protocols can be successfully implemented concurrently in critical care settings.
- High acceptance and rapid achievement of treatment goals suggest the utility of these protocols.
- Time to achieve primary goals may serve as a valuable performance indicator for critical care interventions.
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