ICU Resource Allocation in the New Millenium

“Will We Say No?”

Released this month by Springer, edited by Dr David Crippen, a neurointensivist and the “Fearless Leader” of CCM-L (the International Critical Care Mailing List and discussion group) and including two chapter on ICU in South Africa, in the past, present and looking towards the future.  I am particularly proud to have contributed the latter (Chapter 22).

The book describes, to paraphrase Dr Crippen, “the inevitable collision between the immovable place of patient demands/expectations and the irresistible force of escalating costs”.  It examines how ICUs in 12 countries have dealt with resource allocation in the past and where they are heading in the future, through the eyes of doctors throughout the ‘global village’.  A ‘Fair and Equitable’ plan is proposed and analysed in the succeeding chapters.  It is in equal measures thoughtful and provocative; fascinating differences in the structures and how decisions are made exist across the spectrum of countries, but the similarities in thought processes and goals of care from the ICU doctors are remarkable.  I haven’t yet read the whole book; perhaps more reflections to come!

It is available from the publisher or through most online bookshops, and I suspect good medical shops will stock copies:

Amazon.com – ICU Resource Allocation in the New Millenium

BookDepository – ICU Resource Allocation in the New Millenium – Free shipping worldwide

Springer.com – ICU Resource Allocation in the New Millenium – the publisher, and you can preview the table of contents and book online here.

Dr Crippen’s AV department created a rather fun quick video on the book, which includes a summary of the goals from the editor himself (and they worked in some shots of one of his beloved motorcycles):

 

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