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Table 4 Providers’ endorsement of proposed solutions to reduce ‘inappropriate care’ in the intensive care unit

From: Perceptions of the appropriateness of care in California adult intensive care units

Solutionsa

Numerator/

denominator (percentage)

Weighted

percentage

Already

doingb

Weighted

percentagec

Mandatory family meetings at 72 hours with the intensivist and primary attending

1,090/1,224 (89.0)

89.5

348/1,238 (28.1)

24.5

Allow intensivists to control admission decisions and refusals to the ICU

963/1,226 (78.6)

80.8

569/1,238 (46.0)

40.5

Use ‘triggers’ at hospital admission ensure advance directives are known

1,020/1,223 (83.4)

83.9

578/1,238 (46.7)

47.4

Formal training for physicians/nurses in talking to families about end-of-life decisions

1,099/1,222 (89.9)

91.5

(31.8)d

(32.7)

For patients with multiple co-morbidities/poor pre-morbid state, offer a limited trial of ICU level treatments

943/1,220 (77.3)

78.4

483/1,238 (39.0)

38.8

  1. aRespondents were asked whether the solutions listed would have a major or minor positive or negative impact on inappropriate care situations. Positive impact is the combination of major or minor positive impact. bRespondents were asked whether these initiatives currently occur in their intensive care unit (ICU). cWeighted value takes into account the sampling weight used in the sampling technique and is expressed as a percentage. dTaken from an earlier question about communication training.