Editorial
Disaster: Are you prepared?
DISASTER: A heading that covers a myriad of problems, reactions, plans that have failed to come to fruition, sometimes natural, uncontrollable- other times purposeful and deliberate. Whether it be a natural eventhurricane, earthquake, flood or wild fire; an accidentplane crash, bridge collapse, ferry capsizing; or an intentional act- bomb explosion, arson, mass shooting, biological warfare, the result and...
News
Hospital Infections in Australia Cost $1 Billion in Lost Bed Days
Infections caught in hospital are costing the Australian healthcare system more than 850,000 lost bed days, according to a new study by Queensland University of Technology. Associate Professor Nick Graves, from QUT's Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, said there were 175,153 cases where patients had acquired an infection during their hospital stay. "If rates were reduced by just one per c...
New WHO Data Underscores Global Threat of World's Leading Child Killer: Pneumonia
New World Health Organisation data published in the Lancet will shed new light on two leading causes of pneumonia, the world's leading killer of children under age 5, both globally and within specific countries. The results, which are the first ever available at the country level, are expected to serve as a clarion call to developing country governments to invest in pneumonia prevention programmes. Acco...
Call for Proposals for Marie Curie Initial Training Networks Launched
The European Commission's Directorate-General for Research is calling for proposals for Marie Curie Initial Training Networks (ITNs). In support of training and career development for researchers, the action addresses joint research training networks in the form of either multi- or mono-partner ITNs. Multipartner ITNs require at least three participants from three different Member States or Associated Coun...
We all Know Endotracheal Tubes Leak
A recent study by The New England Journal of Medicine found pneumonia to be the second most common cause of rehospitalisation within 30 days after surgery.1 It's this kind of real-world need that drives our search for relevant innovations—innovations like the Mallinckrodt™ TaperGuard™ endotracheal tube, shown to reduce microaspiration an average of 90% compared with our own Mallinckrodt™ Hi-Lo™ c...
Cover Story
Hospital Disaster Response: Are you Really Prepared?
Is your hospital prepared for the next disaster? This article is designed to generate discussion into the adequacy of your hospital's current emergency response plan. Hours upon hours of work go into creating a hospital's emergency response plan that is designed to respond to a myriad of disasters. As with any large-scale plan, it may appear flawless on paper, but may fall well short during actual performa...
Process Control in Multiple Casualty Events
There are few places which could be considered immune to man-made or natural disasters, culminating in a Multiple/mass Casualty Event (MCE). Much has been written on the importance of preparedness for a MCE. However, a relatively neglected aspect in the MCE literature is that of in-hospital process control from patient admission to the trauma bay until their final admission to the ICU. Background A decad...
Impact of Hospital-related Disturbances on Disaster Preparedness
In response to the current economic constrains within the healthcare systems, different action plans and reforms, including tax increases, have been deployed to decrease the costs and to increase healthcare's effectiveness. It is, however, the time to realise that these measures are not enough and prioritisation might be the only way to cure this chronic condition. There is a need for adaptation and exp...
Pandemic in the ICU
The new world, new technology and new means of transport not only make global cooperation easier, but also the distribution of new diseases. The new influenza A virus variant (H1N1)v, which has rapidly spread worldwide, offers new possibilities for cooperation and an unique opportunity to plan a mutual tactic against the pandemic. A new influenza A virus variant (H1N1)v has spread rapidly globally since...
Series
The Polycompartment Syndrome
In the last issue of ICU Management, we featured PART ONE of this article, which discussed Pelvic Compartment Syndrome, Abdominal Compartment Syndrome (ACS) and intra-abdominal pressure measurement. In the second part of this article, we will focus on the remaining compartment syndromes –Orbital (OCS), Intracranial (ICS), Thoracic (TCS), Cardiac (CCS), Limb or extremity (ECS), Hepatic (HCS), and Renal (R...
Transport Equipment
The average intensive care unit (ICU) room is approximately 400 square feet. This space often seems quite small when filled with monitoring devices, beds, ventilators, and pumps necessary for proper patient care. In the transport environment, space is often a fraction of that of a hospital. Ambulances of all types must be configured to transport patients that require all of the devices that are being used...
Series on Early Mobilisation of Critically Patients
Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) often receive heavy sedation and bed rest, particularly while mechanically ventilated (Needham et al. 2007; Weinert & Calvin 2007; Winkelman et al. 2005). This immobility may contribute to ICU-acquired neuromuscular weakness, which can be severe and long lasting in some ICU survivors. (De Jonghe et al. 2002; Fletcher et al. 2003; Herridge et al. 2003). To improve...
Transforming Care in the Intensive Care Unit
Practitioners in intensive care units (ICU) are challenged to deliver care to critically ill patients presenting with a wide variety of diagnoses and co-morbidities. Care in ICUs should be based on the best evidence-based literature (EBL) available and delivered by a collaborative team of practitioners working from the same 'framework'. This implies a unified, consistent approach to patient management embe...
Matrix
Surge Capacity in a Cost-Effective Healthcare System
Increasing cost within the healthcare systems has enforced dramatic changes to prevent a disastrous outcome and to make it more efficient. Financial constraints are obvious in the generic planning phase for a real disaster. Economical restrictions have a huge impact on disaster planning. It is now the time to decide which disasters we will see in the future. Worldwide, healthcare systems have been strug...
Interview
The Mexican Healthcare System:
The United Mexican States, better known as Mexico, is conformed by 32 states and the capital city is Mexico City. Mexico has a total population of 103 million people (www.inegi.gob.mx). Every Mexican has the right to receive health protection stated in the 4th article of the "Constitución Politica de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos". Despite this constitutional right, the Mexican Healthcare System is complex...
Experience From the Influenza Outbreak in Mexico
Background: Natural Disasters Mexico has suffered from more than its' fair share of disasters. In 1985, an earthquake struck Mexico City killing more than 10 000 inhabitants and destroying or disabling the most important high care hospitals. Following the earthquake, Mexican society showed a deep sense of humanity, solidarity and awareness about the importance of being prepared for disasters. New laws and...
Euroanaesthesia 2009
Euroanaesthesia 2009
Euroanaesthesia 2009, the annual scientific meeting of the European Society of Anaesthesiology, took place at the beginning of June in the Milano Convention Centre, the largest convention centre in Italy. Over its four days, around 5,500 delegates attended. Most participants pre-registered, but around 15% registered on the day. Euroanaesthesia has a similar format to most major medical conferences, in t...