Critical Care Medicinein Argentina

Argentina in Critical Care

Types of ICU Models

•Public Institutions> 95 % Closed Units

•Private and Social Security Hospitals

60 % Open Units. Most of them tend to work as Closed Units

Training of ICU Physicians

• Background training:

– Internal medicine. No less than two years of a certified residence program. (> 98 %)

–Respiratory medicine–Surgery

Formal Critical Care Training

• After “First level” training• Three years Residence or two

years Fellowship programs– Certified by the Argentine Society

of Critical Care medicine– University of Buenos Aires– Provincial Boards of Medical

Specialists• There is no formal critical care

training for medical students

Decision Makers in the ICU

• Certified Units:– One or two daily rounds. – ICU director or associated ICU

specialists– Chief Resident– Critical Care Fellow

• Only 30 % of total ICUs

Pressing Critical Care Educational Needs

• Encourage Critical Care Units to accomplish Certification Guidelines– Critical Care Units managed by critical

care specialists

• Convince the Board of Faculties of Medicine to include Critical Care as a new separate chapter in formal training for medical students