Intensive care in Norway. A questionnaire study

A questionnaire was sent to five university hospitals, 16 central hospitals and eight large local hospitals. They were asked about the number of beds and the physicians employed in the intensive care unit (ICU), the use of some important intensive care procedures and treatments, registration and documentation procedures, and activity data for 1995. All the hospitals answered the questionnaire. The size of the unit varied from 5.5 to 7.0 beds and use of physicians varied from 1.3 to 5.2 (local vs university hospitals). Only six of the units use APACHE or SAPS severity scoring systems, and only three register work-load objectively. Definition of time spent in the ICU or on a ventilator varies. It is impossible at present to make a meaningful comparison of activity at the different intensive care units in Norway. If the situation is to be improved it is necessary to take the initiative for uniform use of definitions, objective scoring systems and registration of work-load. Such an initiative should come from the hospitals and the Norwegian Medical Association, in collaboration with the central health authorities.