Impact of a dedicated neurocritical care team in treating patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Intensivist staffing of intensive care units (ICUs) has been associated with a reduction in in-hospital mortality. These improvements in patient outcomes have been extended to neurointensivist staffing of neuroscience ICUs for patients with intracranial hemorrhage and traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study is to determine if hospital outcomes (measured by discharge status) for patients admitted with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage changed after the introduction of a neurointensivist-led multidisciplinary neurocritical care team.

METHODS: The authors retrospectively identified 703 patients admitted to the neuroscience ICU with a diagnosis of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage at a single academic tertiary care hospital between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2002. It was compared with discharge outcomes for those patients treated prior to and following the development of a multidisciplinary neurocritical care team.

RESULTS: Patients treated after the introduction of a neurocritical care team were significantly more likely to be discharged to home (25.2% vs. 36.5%) and less likely to be discharged to a rehab facility (25.2% vs. 36.5%). Patients treated after introduction of a neurocritical care team were also more likely to receive definitive aneurysm treatment (10.9% vs. 18%).

CONCLUSION: The implementation of a neurointensivist-led neurocritical care team is associated with improved hospital discharge disposition for patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.