title: Critical care in the United States. Who are we and how did we get here?
abstract: Critical care medicine has progressed significantly over the past two to three decades. We will review the history and evolution of critical care medicine and ICUs in the United States. The evolving health care delivery system and the changing and important role of the intensivist will be addressed. Finally, a discussion about what critical care physicians must do to prepare for the future is presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Calvin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Habet
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Parrillo
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care / Q000266:history / Q000458:organization & administration*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000266:history / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008511:Medicine; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000266:history / Q000458:organization & administration; D013038:Specialization; D014481:United States