Provides specialized care and continuous monitoring for critically ill patients, ensuring advanced life support. It is included in the clinical processes.

High level description #

Subprocesses #

Admission #

Patients are admitted to the ICU for various reasons, including severe illness, major surgery recovery, or after a significant injury. The admission process involves assessing the patient’s condition, establishing a care plan, and setting up continuous monitoring systems. 

Activities and estimated duration #

Patient Reception

Receive the patient arriving at the ICU and gather basic information. Approximately 10 minutes.

Initial Patient Evaluation

Perform an initial assessment of the patient’s condition to determine the severity of their illness or injury. Approximately 30 minutes.

Bed Assignment

Assign a bed in the ICU to the patient based on their initial assessment. Approximately 5 minutes.

Care Plan Establishment

Develop an individualized care plan for the patient, including medical treatments, therapies, and specific care. Approximately 15 min to 1 hour.

Continuous Monitoring Systems Preparation

Set up and prepare continuous monitoring systems for the patient, which may include cardiac monitors, ventilation systems, etc. Approximately 20 minutes.

Treatment Decision

Make decisions about the necessary treatment for the patient based on their assessment and established care plan. Approximately 30 minutes.

Communication with Family

Inform the patient’s family about their condition and the care plan. Approximately 15 minutes.

Continuous Monitoring #

Patients in the ICU are under constant surveillance with the help of various bedside physiologic monitors that track vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation.

This monitoring is crucial for detecting any changes in the patient’s condition and allowing for immediate intervention.

Activities and estimated duration #

Continuous Monitoring Setup

Prepare and configure continuous monitoring equipment at the patient’s bedside. Approximately 10 minutes.

Continuous Monitoring

Continuously monitor the patient’s physiological parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation. Throughout the patient’s stay in the ICU. Approximately  every 15 minutes during the patient’s stay in the ICU. 

Condition Monitoring

Actively monitor any changes in the patient’s condition through data obtained from continuous monitoring. Approximately every hour during the patient’s stay in the ICU, with additional checks during critical periods or as needed.

Intervention Decision

Make decisions based on monitored data regarding the need for immediate medical intervention. It includes changes in patient room, patiente environment, etc.  Approximately 15-30 minutes upon detection of significant changes in the patient’s condition, with urgent interventions initiated immediately as necessary.

Life Support and Treatment #

Many ICU patients require life support, which can include mechanical ventilation for breathing assistance, dialysis for kidney support, or other organ support systems. The ICU team administers medications and treatments tailored to the patient’s specific needs. 

Activities and estimated duration #

Life Support Administration 

Administer life support measures such as mechanical ventilation, dialysis, or other organ support systems tailored to the patient’s needs. Approximately from 30 minutes to several hours.

Medication Administration

Administer specific medications tailored to the patient’s needs, such as analgesics, antibiotics, or other drugs. Approximately from 15 minutes to 1 hour.

Multidisciplinary Care #

The ICU staff includes a team of highly trained healthcare professionals, such as physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other specialists, who collaborate to provide care for critically ill patients. This team is responsible for implementing the care plan and adjusting it as the patient’s condition evolves. 

Activities and estimated duration #

Care Plan Implementation

Implement the care plan established for the patient, involving collaboration among the multidisciplinary team. Approximately from 1 to 2 hours.

Continuous Assessment

Continuously assess the patient’s condition and adjust the care plan accordingly. Approximately every 4 to 6 hours, or more frequently as needed based on the patient’s condition.

Environmental Control #

The ICU environment is designed to support patient care, with features such as redundant gas and electric sources, specialized equipment mounts, and systems for infection control. Single-bed rooms are often used to reduce the risk of infections and provide a controlled environment for each patient. 

Activities and estimated duration #

Ensure Redundant Utilities

Verify and ensure the availability of redundant gas and electric sources to support critical care functions. Approximately 1 to 2 hours to complete, depending on the complexity of the facility.

Mount Specialized Equipment

Install specialized equipment mounts for medical devices such as ventilators, infusion pumps, and monitors. Approximately from 2 to 4 hours.

Implement Infection Control Measures

Implement infection control measures such as air filtration systems and strict hygiene protocols to minimize the risk of hospital-acquired infections. Approximately several days to weeks and ongoing maintenance and monitoring thereafter.

Room Configuration

Configure single-bed rooms with appropriate layouts and furnishings to facilitate patient care and infection control. Approximately several days to complete the configuration of each room.

Family Communication #

Communication with the patient’s family is an important aspect of ICU care. The staff provides updates on the patient’s condition and involves the family in care decisions when appropriate. 

Activities and estimated duration #

Provide Patient Update

Provide updates to the patient’s family regarding the patient’s condition and treatment progress. Approximately from 15 minutes to 1 hour per update.

Involve Family in Care Decisions

Involve the patient’s family in care decisions when appropriate, considering their input and preferences. Approximately a few minutes for simple decisions to several hours for more complex ones.

Discharge Planning #

Discharge from the ICU involves careful planning to ensure that the patient can be safely transferred to a less intensive level of care, such as a general ward or a step-down unit. This process includes stabilizing the patient’s condition and coordinating with other departments for continued care.

Activities and estimated duration #

Stabilize Patient Condition

Stabilize the patient’s condition to ensure readiness for discharge from the ICU. Approximately from a few hours to several days.

Coordinate with Other Departments

Coordinate with other departments, such as the general ward or step-down unit, for continued care and transfer arrangements. Approximately several hours to complete coordination and transfer arrangements.

Quality of Care and Outcomes #

The ICU department continuously monitors the quality of care and patient outcomes. Adjustments to care protocols and interventions are made based on evidence-based practices and patient response. 

Activities and estimated duration

Monitor Quality of Care

Continuously monitor the quality of care provided in the ICU department. Approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour to complete.

Assess Patient Outcomes

Assess patient outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of care provided. Approximately taking 1 to 2 hours per assessment.

Adjust Care Protocols

Adjust care protocols based on evidence-based practices and patient response. Approximately several hours to days to complete.

Operational Logistics #

Managing ICU capacity is critical to prevent congestion and ensure that patients receive timely care. This includes making admission and discharge decisions, managing bed availability, and coordinating with other hospital departments to optimize patient flow. 

Activities and estimated duration

Make Admission and Discharge Decisions

Make admission and discharge decisions based on patient acuity and bed availability. Approximately from 15 minutes to several hours to complete.

Manage Bed Availability

Manage bed availability to ensure that patients have access to appropriate care settings. Approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour to complete, depending on the complexity of bed allocation and patient needs.

Coordinate with Other Departments

Coordinate with other hospital departments to optimize patient flow and resource utilization. Approximately from 1 to 2 hours for each coordination effort.

Atributtes #

Staff #

Critical care physicians, including intensivists, cardiologists, pulmonologists, and other specialists as per patient needs.

Highly trained intensive care nurses for the care and monitoring of critically ill patients.

Respiratory therapists for managing mechanical ventilation and respiratory support.

Social workers to provide emotional support and coordinate post-discharge care.

Support staff, such as nursing assistants, to assist in daily patient care activities.

Material #

Advanced medical equipment, such as multiparameter monitors, mechanical ventilators, infusion pumps, and advanced life support equipment.

Medical supplies, including intravenous catheters, tubes, dressings, and sterile equipment for invasive procedures.

Medications and solutions for administering pharmacological treatments, sedation, and analgesia.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff, including N95 masks, sterile gowns, gloves, and face shields.

Method #

Updated clinical protocols and guidelines for managing critical illnesses and emergency situations.

Standardized procedures for assessing and monitoring critically ill patients, as well as for administering treatments and invasive procedures.

Ongoing staff training in updated practices and procedures, including simulations of emergency situations.

Machine #

State-of-the-art monitoring equipment to constantly measure vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation.

Mechanical ventilators with different modes and settings to provide respiratory support according to patient needs.

Infusion pumps for accurately administering medications and intravenous solutions.

Imaging diagnostic equipment, such as portable ultrasound machines or mobile X-ray units, to quickly evaluate the patient’s condition.

Usual Loops #

Downloads #

BPMN graphs #

Download the collapsed BPMN diagram.

Download the expanded BPMN diagram.

Download all the data.

Use Case #

In the Clinical process, the patient undergoes a clinical process in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Depending on the level of urgency and the medical and nursing personnel, the frequency of status assessments (“continuous monitoring” and “life support treatment” activities) will vary.

Additionally, multidisciplinary care may be required, necessitating the involvement of various specialists to determine whether or not to modify the diagnosis.

In the Administrative process, the more administrative aspects of the patient’s stay in the ICU are documented. Depending particularly on the number of administrative staff, the assigned department, and the patient’s emergency level, increased communication with the family or enhanced environmental control may be necessary.

This will be followed by an assessment of care outcomes and logistical operations once the patient has been discharged.

The recommended software is the Inverbis Healthcare platform. 

Download the use case data.

Form