ICU Care

The standardized ICU LOS (observed/predicted LOS) ratio in the United States varied from 0.88 to 1.21. For the Japanese ICU cohort, the overall ICU LOS ratio was 1.13 (actual ICU LOS, 6.2 days; predicted ICU LOS, 5.5 days, CI, 5.31 to 5.66 days; p = 0.000) with greater variation between ICUs (ICU LOS ratio, 0.77 to 1.66 days) when compared to the United States. Hospital LOS was significantly longer in Japan, with a mean observed LOS of 34.1 days (predicted, 17.4 days; CI, 16.9 to 19.9 days: p < 0.001). www.canadian-familypharmacy.com Discussion Health-Care Delivery Systems and ICU Care Any comparative understanding of critical care delivery must account for the social, cultural, demographic, and economic differences between the United States and Japanese health-delivery systems. The Japanese constitution guarantees “the right to maintain the minimum standards of wholesome and cultured living.”