title: Regionalization and categorization of critical care services.
abstract: Regionalized systems of care match the medical needs of individual patients to available resources. Hospitals are categorized based on their personnel and technologic resources. Triage guidelines, based on severity of disease, are developed to link patient types to hospital categorization levels. Regionalization requires major planning, publicity, and educational efforts to implement an ongoing coordination and continuous quality improvement to function.
authors.affiliation: State University of New York Health Science Center, Syracuse.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jastremski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003422:Critical Care / Q000145:classification / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006752:Hospital Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D012041:Regional Medical Programs; D014218:Triage / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States