title: Intensive care unit without walls: seeking patient safety by improving the efficiency of the system.
abstract: The term "ICU without walls" refers to innovative management in Intensive Care, based on two key elements: (1) collaboration of all medical and nursing staff involved in patient care during hospitalization and (2) technological support for severity early detection protocols by identifying patients at risk of deterioration throughout the hospital, based on the assessment of vital signs and/or laboratory test values, with the clear aim of improving critical patient safety in the hospitalization process. At present, it can be affirmed that there is important work to be done in the detection of severity and early intervention in patients at risk of organ dysfunction. Such work must be adapted to the circumstances of each center and should include training in the detection of severity, multidisciplinary work in the complete patient clinical process, and the use of technological systems allowing intervention on the basis of monitored laboratory and physiological parameters, with effective and efficient use of the information generated. Not only must information be generated, but also efficient management of such information must also be achieved. It is necessary to improve our activity through innovation in management procedures that facilitate the work of the intensivist, in collaboration with other specialists, throughout the hospital environment. Innovation is furthermore required in the efficient management of the information generated in hospitals, through intelligent and directed usage of the new available technology.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Medicine, Hospital Universitario del Henares, Coslada, Madrid, Spain; Francisco de Vitoria University, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: fgordo5@gmail.com.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gordo
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Medicine, Hospital Universitario del Henares, Coslada, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abella
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards*; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D061214:Patient Safety
keywords: Administración de servicios sanitarios; Constantes vitales; Early warning score; Equipos de respuesta rápida; Health service administration; Hospital mortality; Intensive Care Medicine; Intensive Care Unit; Medicina intensiva; Monitoring; Monitorización; Mortalidad hospitalaria; Patient safety; Puntuación de alerta temprana; Rapid response teams; Seguridad de los pacientes; Technology; Tecnología; Unidad de cuidados intensivos; Vital signs