What’s new in ICU volume-outcome relationships?

Excerpt

Among the most enduring and consistent observations in intensive care unit (ICU) organization is the finding that ICUs that care for a high volume of patients experience improved risk-adjusted outcomes. This finding, known as the “volume-outcome relationship,” was first robustly demonstrated in mechanically ventilated patients in 2006 [1] and has been re-demonstrated in multiple other ICU cohorts since [2]. Yet despite the growing evidence in support of volume-outcome relationships, clinicians and policy makers have struggled to translate these relationships into improved outcomes for ICU patients. This article will review recent research findings related to the ICU volume-outcome relationship, with a particular focus on data suggesting how we might harness these relationships to improve the quality of care in all ICUs. …