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OtherLeading Article
Open Access

Improving resource utilization in the intensive care units. A challenge for Saudi Hospitals

Yaseen Arabi and Abdullah Al-Shimemeri
Saudi Medical Journal February 2003, 24 (2) 131-137;
Yaseen Arabi
Deputy Chairman & Program Director, Critical Care Fellowship, Intensive Care Department (MC 1425), King Abdul-Aziz Medical City, PO Box 22490, Riyadh, 11426, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Tel. +966 (1) 2520088 Ext. 2498. Fax +966 (1) 2520140. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abdullah Al-Shimemeri
Department of Intensive Care King Fahad National Guard Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Abstract

In the face of increasing demand of intensive care services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as the high cost of delivering such services, systematic steps must be undertaken in order to ensure optional utilization and fair allocation of resources. Strategies start prior to intensive care units (ICU) admission by the proper selection of patients who are likely to benefit from ICU. Less resource-demanding alternatives, such as intermediate care units, should be used for low-risk patients. Do-not-resuscitate status in patients with no meaningful chance of recovery will prevent futile admissions to ICUs. Measures known to improve the efficiency of care in the ICU must be implemented, including hiring full-time qualified intensivists, switching open units to closed ones and the introduction of certain evidence-base driven management protocols. On discharge, the intermediate care units again play a role as less expensive alternative transitional area for patients who are not stable enough to go to general ward. Measures to reduce re-admissions to ICU must also be implemented. Improving ICU resource utilization requires teamwork not only the intensivists but also the administrators and other health care providers.

  • Copyright: © Saudi Medical Journal

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Saudi Medical Journal: 24 (2)
Saudi Medical Journal
Vol. 24, Issue 2
1 Feb 2003
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Improving resource utilization in the intensive care units. A challenge for Saudi Hospitals
Yaseen Arabi, Abdullah Al-Shimemeri
Saudi Medical Journal Feb 2003, 24 (2) 131-137;

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Improving resource utilization in the intensive care units. A challenge for Saudi Hospitals
Yaseen Arabi, Abdullah Al-Shimemeri
Saudi Medical Journal Feb 2003, 24 (2) 131-137;
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© 2025 Saudi Medical Journal Saudi Medical Journal is copyright under the Berne Convention and the International Copyright Convention.  Saudi Medical Journal is an Open Access journal and articles published are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (CC BY-NC). Readers may copy, distribute, and display the work for non-commercial purposes with the proper citation of the original work. Electronic ISSN 1658-3175. Print ISSN 0379-5284.

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