TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - ICU Bed Utilization A1 - Wunsch, Hannah A2 - Oropello, John M. A2 - Pastores, Stephen M. A2 - Kvetan, Vladimir PY - 1 T2 - Critical Care AB - KEY POINTSThe lack of an agreed-upon definition of an ICU bed remains a barrier to understanding bed utilization.Small ICUs or systems of ICUs are at a disadvantage due to their size, creating inefficient use of ICU beds.Availability of intermediate-care beds may impact the flow of patients into and out of ICU beds.The casemix of patients admitted to an ICU can vary dramatically. This may be driven by the overall availability of ICU beds, but will also be determined by the casemix of patients in a hospital or system.Use of intensive care beds is often driven by the specific culture of a hospital regarding the “perceived” need of an individual patient, as well as the larger cultural expectations within a given society.Optimization of ICU bed use may include decreasing the number of small ICUs operating separately, standardizing criteria for admission, and increasing alternate care options. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - accessanesthesiology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1136418526 ER -