Essential Emergency and Critical Care: A Priority for Health Systems Globally

Dabota Yvonne Buowari; Christian Owoo; Lalit Gupta; Carl Otto Schell; Tim Baker; EECC Network Group

doi:10.1016/j.ccc.2022.06.008

Essential Emergency and Critical Care: A Priority for Health Systems Globally

Crit Care Clin. 2022 Oct;38(4):639-656. doi: 10.1016/j.ccc.2022.06.008.

Authors

Dabota Yvonne Buowari¹, Christian Owoo², Lalit Gupta³, Carl Otto Schell⁴, Tim Baker⁵; EECC Network Group

Affiliations

¹ Department of Accident and Emergency, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Along East West Road, Alakahia, Port Harcourt, Rivers State 23401, Nigeria.
² Department of Anaesthesia, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences, Guggisberg Avenue, Korle Bu, GA-029-4296 Accra, Ghana; Department of Anaesthesia, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Guggisberg Avenue, Korle Bu, GA-029-4296 Accra, Ghana; Ghana Infectious Disease Centre, Kwabenya, Ga East, Municipal Hospital, GE-255-9501 (PQ47+FGV), Accra, Ghana; University of Ghana Medical Centre, Indian Ocean Link, University of Ghana, GA-337-6980 (JRJ7+WJP) Accra, Ghana.
³ Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Maulana Azad Medical College, 2 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110002, India.
⁴ Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna Väg, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden; Centre for Clinical Research Sörmland, Uppsala University, Sveavägen entré 9 Mälarsjukhuset, Eskilstuna, 631 88 Sweden; Department of Medicine, Nyköping Hospital, Nyköping 61185, Sweden.
⁵ Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna Väg, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden; Department of Emergency Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, United Nations Road, Dar es Salaam, P.O. Box 65001, Tanzania; Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK; Ifakara Health Institute, 5 Ifakara Street, Plot 463 Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam, P.O. Box 78 373, Tanzania. Electronic address: tim.baker@ki.se.

PMID: 36162903
DOI: 10.1016/j.ccc.2022.06.008

Abstract

Critical illness is a state of ill health with vital organ dysfunction, a high risk of imminent death if care is not provided, and the potential for reversibility. An estimated 45 million adults become critically ill each year. While some are treated in emergency departments or intensive care units, most are cared for in general hospital wards. We outline a priority for health systems globally: the first-tier care that all critically ill patients should receive in all parts of all hospitals: Essential Emergency and Critical Care. We describe its relation to other specialties and care and opportunities for implementation.

Keywords: Critical care; Emergency care; Essential health services; Global health; Low- and middle-income countries; Quality of care.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Adult
Critical Care*
Critical Illness* / therapy
Emergency Service, Hospital
Humans
Intensive Care Units