International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care

Table of Contents - 1992 - Volume 8, Issue 03  

Special Section: Intensive Care: Where Are We?

Introduction - Intensive Care: Where Are We?

Bernard S. Blooma1 and Dag Lundberga2

a1 University of Pennsylvania

a2 University of Lund

If intensive care is defined as close observation of critically ill persons, then its use is ancient indeed, going back to the beginning of recorded history. But if intensive care is defined to include all the modern technology, techniques, knowledge, and skilled personnel that closely monitor patients with the intent to intervene when potentially dangerous changes in physiology occur, usually in acute, life-threatening circumstances, then real medical intensive care services are only slightly more than three decades old.

Bernard S. Bloom, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 2L Nursing Education Bldg., Philadelphia, PA 19194-6020, U.S.A.