Frequency of consultant review - evidence review for NICE

Frequency of consultant review: What is the most clinically and cost-effective frequency of review by a consultant in AMU, ICU, CCU, stroke units and general medical wards?
NICE 28 March 2018

• An evidence review for "Emergency and acute medical care in over 16s: service delivery and organisation" NICE Guidance NG94 identified only five studies, one of which related to ICU (Kerlin 2013)
• The (low quality) study comprising 1598 participants, evaluated the role of a 24 hour consultant compared to a day time consultant in ICU, in adults and young people at risk of an acute medical emergency, or with a suspected or confirmed acute medical emergency. The evidence suggested that increased consultant reviews found no difference on mortality and length of stay.

Kerlin MP, Small DS, Cooney E, Fuchs BD, Bellini LM, Mikkelsen ME et al. A randomized trial of nighttime physician staffing in an intensive care unit. New England Journal of Medicine. 2013; 368(23):2201-2209