Hospitalized patients at risk of dying: an Intensive Care Medicine call for papers

Critical care medicine is an important and inseparable part of modern medical provision. Intensive care units (ICUs), although costly, are an essential element in the delivery of critical care. ICUs are characterized by hi-tech monitoring capabilities as well as increased density of medical and nursing staff compared with general wards or intermediate-care units. However, not all patients for whom ICU admission is indicated are actually admitted to ICU. There are several reasons for this inadequate delivery of care, including [1] lack of sufficient resources to create enough ICU beds and [2] failure of the treatment team outside the ICU to recognize the severity of the disease or the risk of deterioration of a currently stable situation.