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What is an intensivist and who needs to see one? An intensivist is a doctor
specially trained to handle very sick patients
in the intensive care unit. They handle all kinds
of very ill patients from those with severe infection
and breathing failure to strokes, and patients
after difficult surgeries. They help to get patients
that become very ill in the hospital to the intensive
care unit quickly. They often work along side
other doctors to improve the care. The physicians
at Coastal Pulmonary Medicine along with Wilmington
Health Associates started an intensivist program
at New Hanover Regional Medical Center years ago.
This ensures patients have a critical care doctor
available to them just like a major medical center
anywhere in the country.
Knowing that New Hanover Regional Medical Center
has an intensivist in the hospital 24 hours a
day should put you at ease, even make you feel
a bit proud. No other hospital in the region has
this level of care. Nationally, less than one
in six hospitals in major cities has a full time
intensivist. If you are in the hospital and suddenly
get gravely ill a doctor will be at your bedside
in a matter of minutes!
Recent studies have shown that involving the
care of an intensivist in the ICU saves lives.
With over four million people each year needing
care in the ICU, one large study estimated that
over 50,000 lives a year could be saved if hospitals
in larger US cities had a dedicated intensivist
on staff. Since the start of the intensivist program
at New Hanover Medical Center, the time patients
spend on a respirator in the ICU has been dramatically
shortened, in turn leading to shorter time in
the ICU. This saves lives as well as money. However,
at New Hanover, an intensivist doesn’t see
all patients in the ICU. If you are not admitted
by one of these doctors your doctor must ask them
to help with your care. If you or a loved one
is faced with a terrible illness, ask your doctor
if an intensivist might improve your odds for
recovery.
Christian B. Lloyd MD., F.C.C.P.
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