title: Intensive care unit bed availability and outcomes for hospitalized patients with sudden clinical deterioration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intensive care unit (ICU) beds, a scarce resource, may require prioritization of admissions when demand exceeds supply. We evaluated the effect of ICU bed availability on processes and outcomes of care for hospitalized patients with sudden clinical deterioration.
  
  
  METHODS
  We identified consecutive hospitalized adults in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with sudden clinical deterioration triggering medical emergency team activation between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2009. We compared ICU admission rates (within 2 hours of medical emergency team activation), patient goals of care (resuscitative, medical, and comfort), and hospital mortality according to the number of ICU beds available (0, 1, 2, or >2), adjusting for patient, physician, and hospital characteristics (using data from clinical and administrative databases).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cohort consisted of 3494 patients. Reduced ICU bed availability was associated with a decreased likelihood of patient admission within 2 hours of medical emergency team activation (P = .03) and with an increased likelihood of change in patient goals of care (P < .01). Patients with sudden clinical deterioration when zero ICU beds were available were 33.0% (95% CI, -5.1% to 57.3%) less likely to be admitted to the ICU and 89.6% (95% CI, 24.9% to 188.0%) more likely to have their goals of care changed compared with when more than 2 ICU beds were available. Hospital mortality did not vary significantly by ICU bed availability (P = .82).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among hospitalized patients with sudden clinical deterioration, we noted a significant association between the number of ICU beds available and ICU admission and patient goals of care but not hospital mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Teaching, Research and Wellness Building, 3280 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB, Canada. tstelfox@ucalgary.ca
authors.forename: Henry T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Stelfox
authors.forename: Brenda R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Hemmelgarn
authors.forename: Sean M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bagshaw
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Doig
authors.forename: Cheri
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nijssen-Jordan
authors.forename: Braden
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Manns
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006742:Hospital Bed Capacity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors