Hospital organization based on intensity of care: potential errors to avoid

Introduction

The extreme variability of clinical severity in medical admitted patients is diluted in a average standard of care, that may be stronger than the real needs for someone, but clearly inadequate, sometimes even dangerous, for other ones, critically ill.

Discussion

The model of a differentiated intensity of hospital care can be defined as the organizational model structured to areas/sectors dedicated to patients with homogeneous needs of care. The intermediate care unit (High dependency units, sub-intensive care areas - high care units) are particularly suitable for patients who have a lower risk compared to patients treated in intensive care, but liable to develop complications and needing a close monitoring much more than the standard, routine care. The implementation of the a new organizational model must be careful and consider the possible enlargement errors that can be made. The analysis of the context is necessary for assess prerequisites, excluding the elements opposed to the success of the proposed model (i.e.: wards congestion and overcrowding, with a consequential with increased risk of adverse events). Before implementing and admitting patients in new models, we have to define the epidemiological population characteristics, their level of complexity/criticality/instability and the current assessment tools.

Conclusions

Any new proposal of hospital management change has, as first obligation, to explicit the basic visions and primary goals for the added value resulting to the patient and the whole organization, with the evidence of an health technology assessment approach, for the professional hospital overall governance. But without the presumption, or worse, the apodictic assertion, to proclaim the implementation of structures with differentiated intensity of hospital care organizations that are not.