Zentralblatt für Chirurgie
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The creation of a center for interdisciplinary operative intensive care through the fusion of several smaller intensive care units from various specialties is mainly driven by economic reasons. To specify some conditions for making such a fusion less expensive and to identify the impact of larger intensive care units on the quality of patients' treatment and on surgical training are the subjects of this study. ⋯ The concept of an interdisciplinary surgical ICU is obviously most practicable and reasonable if subunits with approximately twelve beds are concentrated in one centre for operative intensive care. This offers an advantage concerning the organisation and for the philosophy of treating special diseases by specialised medical teams. The size maintains the advantage of economies of scale as well the economies of scope and also promises effective logistics. For the management, an experienced intensive care specialist, either an anaesthesiologist or a surgeon should be assigned. All subject-specific advanced skills in intensive care have to be covered by an interdisciplinary continuing education.