Skip to main content

Table 1 The elements of essential emergency and critical care (EECC) in hospitals

From: The global need for essential emergency and critical care

1

Identification of the critically ill: the proportion of critically ill patients who are identified

 

1a

The structures needed for a hospital to have the potential to identify the critically ill

  

For example:

   

Emergency department (ED) triage system

   

Ward-based triage

   

Trained ED and ward staff

   

Pulse oximeter

 

1b

The clinical processes needed for the identification of the critically ill

  

For example:

   

ED triage is conducted

   

Ward triage, for example early warning score (EWS), is conducted

2

Essential care of the critically ill: the proportion of those identified as critically ill who receive essential care

 

2a

The structures needed for a hospital to have the potential to provide essential care of the critically ill

  

For example:

   

Availability of ED resuscitation room

   

Emergency drugs and equipment

   

Oxygen

   

Trained staff

   

Guidelines for EECC

 

2b

The clinical processes needed for essential care of the critically ill

  

For example:

   

Use of appropriate airway actions

   

Use of oxygen in hypoxia

   

Use of intravenous fluids in shock

3

The proportion of all critically ill patients who receive EECC: the output of EECC

 

For example:

  

If 50% of all critically ill patients in a hospital are identified and 80% of these receive the correct essential care, then effective coverage of EECC is 40%

4

The mechanism through which EECC translates into increased survival of the critically ill

 

For example:

  

Airway maintained

  

Breathing supported

  

Circulation maintained

5

The desired outcome of EECC: survival of the critically ill

 

For example:

  

To a defined time point; for example, hospital discharge

  1. The examples are elements that could be included in EECC
Back to article page

Critical Care

ISSN: 1364-8535