Hebert PC, Wells G, Martin C, et al. Variation in red cell transfusion practice in the intensive care unit: A multicentre cohort study. Critical Care. 1999;3(2):57-63.

Article describing a study to determine the variation among different institutions with regard to transfusion practices, specifically why critically ill patients are given red blood cells.

Knaus WA, Wagner DP, Zimmerman JE, Draper EA. Variations in mortality and length of stay in intensive care units. Annals of Internal Medicine. 1993;118(10):753-761.

Article describing a study to test the connection between hospital mortality and length of stay in the Intensive Care Unit.

Pronovost P, Berenholtz S, Dorman T, Lipsett PA, Simmonds T, Haraden C. Improving Communication in the ICU using daily goals. Journal of Critical Care. 2003;18(2)71-75.

This article evaluates a study showing that the ICU length of stay can be reduced by implementing the daily goals form.

Pronovost P, Jenckes M, To M, et al. Reducing failed extubations in the intensive care unit. Journal on Quality Improvment. 2002;28(11):595-604.

Failed extubation is associated with substantially increased morbidity, mortality, and costs for patients receiving mechanical ventilation. IHI faculty member, Peter Pronovost, MD, and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins Hospital recently published the results of an improvement project that achieved an 81 percent reduction of extubation failures in a surgical intensive care unit.

Full Text Available! Click View Article below.

The National Coalition on Health Care and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Care in the ICU: Teaming up to Improve Quality. Accelerating Change Today (A.C.T.). September 2002.

Profiles of individuals and institutions that have made a committment to quality in Intensive Care Units.

Full Text Available! Click View Article below.

Brock W, Nolan K, Nolan T. Pragmatic science: Accelerating the improvement of critical care. New Horizons. 1998;6:61-68.

A specific example of application of technical improvement methods in intensive care settings.