Critical care — also called intensive care — is a medical specialty focused on the care of the sickest patients in the hospital or those whose special needs can’t be met anywhere else.
This site is for patients and families
who have experienced critical care;
who have participated in critical care research; or
who are considering becoming involved in critical care research.
Are you interested in participating in a research program?
What is critical care?
Critical care (also called intensive care) is a medical specialty focused on the care of the sickest patients in the hospital or those whose special needs can’t be met anywhere else.
Critically ill patients need life support, such as breathing machines, and the specialized care provided in the intensive care unit (ICU, or Pediatric ICU for critically ill children) by a team of professionals including physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, dieticians, pharmacists, chaplains, and social workers. Some of the conditions treated in the ICU include severe infections like pneumonia and meningitis, or heart disease, strokes, trauma, and burns.
Most patients survive their ICU stay. However, sometimes patients in the ICU are so sick that they die despite the care they receive. Sometimes, when patients are really sick, they or their families decide that they would not want to prolong treatment with life support machines or medications. So in addition to life-saving treatment, critical care includes providing quality end-of-life care for patients.
“Critical care medecine requires both advanced technology
and human compassion.”
