The Value of Critical Care in Trauma Centers

These I.C.U. trauma admissions fall into three categories: 1. Nonoperative management/intensive observation and treatment. 2. Pre-operative stabilization and preparation for patients who may need surgical intervention. 3. Post operative management of the severely injured. The hallmark of intensive care management of these patients center on the following: 1. Adequate ratio of medical and nursing staff per patient 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 2. Continuous invasive and noninvasive monitoring of patients' physiologic status, which enables the physician to make an early detection of pathological developments hence timely and appropriate correction of the abnormalities. We believe proper and early utilization of the limited and extremely costly critical care facilities in trauma centers can prove life saving and therefore cost effective. A TEACHING AND APPLICATIONS ALGORITHM FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN DENTISTRY: THE HONG KONG MODEL