Exploring intensivist involvement: Patient characteristics, interventions and outcomes

Intensivists play a critical role in the management of intensive care units (ICUs) and in providing high quality care. While international guidelines recommend intensivist staffing for improved patient outcomes, there is a shortage of qualified intensivists in many regions, including Türkiye. This study aimed to assess the impact of introducing a full-time intensivist to a medical ICU on patient characteristics, outcomes, and ICU interventions.

This retrospective study analyzed data from the Internal Medicine ICU at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Dursun Odabaş Medical Center over two periods: Pre- and post-intensivist recruitment. The study included adult patients admitted to the ICU from February 2018 to January 2020. Patient demographics, reasons for ICU admission, APACHE-II and SOFA scores, ICU interventions, and outcomes were recorded and compared between the two periods.

Of the 868 patients admitted during the study period, 820 were included in the analysis. There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics between the pre- and post-intensivist periods. However, patients in the post-intensivist period had higher APACHE-II and SOFA scores. Intensive care units mortality rates were comparable between the two periods. The post-intensivist period saw increased use of invasive mechanical ventilation and non-invasive ventilation compared to the pre-intensivist period. Renal replacement therapy usage and enteral nutrition provision also increased in the post-intensivist period. ICU and hospital lengths of stay remained similar between the two periods.

The introduction of a full-time intensivist to the medical ICU led to changes in ICU interventions, including increased use of mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy. Despite these changes, ICU mortality rates remained unchanged. Further research is needed to explore the longterm impact of intensivist staffing on patient outcomes in Türkiye.