ICU Full form is Intensive Care Unit. An intensive care unit (ICU), also known as an intensive therapy unit or intensive treatment unit (ITU) or critical care unit (CCU), is a special department of a hospital or health care facility that provides intensive care medicine.

Wikipedia

ICU – Intensive Care Unit Where Critically Ill Patients Are Admitted

ICU Full Form: ICU is a term that has become very common nowadays after the corona virus hit the world. Even with the rise in the numbers of multispecialty hospitals worldwide, including the developing countries, the term has become quite common, since all of these hospitals have them. ICU is for Intensive Care Unit, where critically ill patients are stationed.

These patients need 24×7 surveillance and that too, in a very active way. There is no way that the nurse or medical attendant can take her eyes off the patient inside the ICU. No single moment of monitoring can be missed out for such critical patients.

What sort of patients is admitted in ICU?

The patients who are critically ill are generally admitted in ICU. These patients can be those to have suffered an accident or physical trauma of any kind. Besides, other patients whose present condition is very poor can also be taken in the ICU. Once the physician checks up a patient, it is the prerogative of the physician to decide if ICU is required or not.

There are often cases where the patient’s family members insist for ICU. In such cases, it may be possible that the doctor can deny the same if s/he thinks the condition does not deserve so. There is always limited number of ICU cabins in any hospital. So, the doctors often try to optimize the usage and offer it to only those who deserve.

The opposite situation may also happen where the people accompanying a patient does not want to get an admission in the ICU. This is primarily because of the high cost associated with ICU admission. It is beyond doubt that the ICU charges will be much higher than normal admissions in the hospitals. In this case too, it becomes the prerogative of the doctor to decide if ICU is needed.

Can infectious diseases be allowed inside ICU?

There is no other way but to allow infectious diseases inside the ICU also, if needed. Of course, the chance of contamination to the next patient is there. But the ICU chambers are supposed to be sanitized and cleaned in a regular manner, especially after one patient exits the ICU. The sanitization decreases the chances of infections to a great extent. During the times of Corona virus, many patients who are critical worldwide had to be admitted to the ICU as well, although the disease is highly contagious. The fact that a person has to be treated at present could not be ignored, and the possibilities of future infection had to be overlooked.

ICU charges remain higher

ICU Full Form: ICU cabins are totally detached from the outside environment. It is often attempted to allow minimal air exchange inside and outside an ICU, in order to arrest any contamination both ways. This can cause suffocation inside the ICU that is closed from all sides. Therefore, the ICU needs to be air conditioned. Hence, the cost of ICU goes up to a great extent.

The air conditioning is also required in order to maintain the instruments and equipment kept inside the ICU which is very sensitive. In a non-AC environment, they may malfunction and give improper readings and results which can be detrimental to the health of the patient.

The ICU also needs sanitization on a daily basis. This is not only to maintain the cleanliness to the best possible extent but also to arrest any infection from going out or coming inside the enclosed chamber. The high end instruments, requirement of AC and regular sanitization all contribute towards the high cost of the ICU.

Does ICU have special doctors?

The doctors in a hospital look after all the sections that are there. ICU generally does not have dedicated group of doctors since all doctors are eligible to look after the patients inside ICU and to run and read the instruments kept inside ICU.

FAQs: ICU Full Form

Question1. Can I get an ICU room as per my wish?

Answer1. The ICU room is for critical patients. It cannot be allotted based on the wish of the family members of the patients. Only the doctor is legally bound and eligible to decide the requirement of the ICU room for a patient.

Question2. How much does ICU cost?

Answer2. ICU costs are higher than normal admission to the hospitals. In India, the ICU cost can be around INR 35000-40000 per day, but this is a very general figure. It varies in a large range, and can be INR 100000 per day or more in places like Mumbai and Delhi, and in high end private hospitals. In rural and semi-rural areas where the governments have set up multispecialty hospitals, the same can be down to INR 15000-20000 a day.

Question3. How to book ICU?

Answer. ICU cannot be booked in advance. It remains the prerogative of the doctors to decide if the patient needs ICU. Thus, there is no way or provision to book ICU ahead of the checkup in a hospital.

Question4. Can hospitals force ICU admission for higher profit?

Answer. Frankly, such cases can happen, especially in private hospitals. But generally, the patient and the family members have to depend only on the attending physician. Only the doctor can actually know if ICU admission is required or not. Many a times the doctors prescribe ICU admissions even if not required. In such cases, the awareness of the family members comes to the help. If required, they can consult other doctors or change the hospital if the patient is not critically ill.

Question5. Is ICU facility available in remote areas too?

Answer. In India, extending ICU facility to the remote areas was always difficult. It was attempted to connect the remote regions to the nearest towns where multispecialty hospitals with ICU facilities were available. But this has yielded limited results. Thus, the governments have now come up with multispecialty hospitals in the remote areas as well. Many of the governments have taken up schemes to open up these hospitals in the rural and remotest of areas which will have the ICU facilities.

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