Surviving intensive care

Excerpt

Until 15 years ago the speciality of intensive care concentrated on immediate consequences, including death, and if the patient left the ICU there was little in the literature regarding the long-term sequelae. A Kings Fund Report at about that time stated that 'there is more to life than measuring death', and indeed a successful outcome was not just about 'surviving intensive care' but about getting out of hospital and returning home to a good quality of life. The idea of following up patients after ICU treatment was not something most intensivists embraced but remained the preserve of a few enthusiasts in the UK, although it is now becoming more widespread since the Audit Commission (Critical to Success) and the National Health Service Executive (Comprehensive Critical Care) published their documents during the past 4 years. …