Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · Nov 2015
Epidemiology of admissions to 11 stand-alone high-dependency care units in the UK.
High-dependency care units (HDUs) are a focus of research to optimize critical care resource allocation. HDUs provide a level of care between the general ward and the intensive care unit (ICU). However, few data report on the case mix and outcomes of patients in these units. ⋯ In a sample of 11 stand-alone HDUs in the UK, patients are from many different hospital locations. Hospital mortality for patients requiring HDU care is high, particularly for patients who require transfer to an ICU.