The investigator will pursue her interest in the organization and management of Intensive Care in her dissertation, in which she examines the triage of ICU patients. Triage is a term used by clinicians and administrators to refer to decisions regarding the range and scope of services offered throughout the hospital and the selection of patients for hospital units deemed scarce. Triage of ICU unit patients is rapidly becoming a national policy issue as the costs and prevalence of ICU services grow. Using data from ten sites (one in-depth case study and nine other cases), the investigator will examine the relationship between the triage process, the organization of ICU'S, the organization of other hospital services and the utilization and efficiency of ICU services.
