title: [Intermediate Care Units dependent on Internal Medicine in a hospital without an Intensive Care Unit].
abstract: Intermediate care units are considered a solution for care of patients who require superior care than those in a normal hospitalization ward but are not amenable to intensive therapy. We present our experience with an open model, with a responsible person of the ward appointed to the Internal Medicine Department, that could be assumed in other hospitals without Intensive Care Unit in which these units would also avoid unnecessary transfers or make it possible to optimize them so that these are done under better conditions.
authors.affiliation: Servicio Medicina Interna, Hospital Valle del Nalón, Langreo, Asturias, España. jamegi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alfonso-Megido
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cárcaba Fernández
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006761:Hospitals / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007388:Internal Medicine; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain