Having a loved one in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a difficult experience. The uncertainty surrounding a critical illness or injury can be overwhelming for both patients and their families, especially when a patient requires specialized care and must be transferred to a different facility.

In rural areas, it’s common for hospitals to transfer patients to larger facilities to ensure they receive the necessary care. Understanding these challenges, Barton Health has expanded its ICU services, now offering intensivists, specialists, and high-acuity care locally at Barton Memorial Hospital.

Collaborative Care Team

When a patient’s illness or injury is critical and requires close or specialized monitoring, that patient may be placed in the ICU and into the hands of a dedicated team of intensivists, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, and other specialists who work together to care for and stabilize each patient 24 hours a day.

Many patients in the ICU require support for multiple organs, such as the lungs, heart, and kidneys. The ICU team is equipped to monitor and provide life-sustaining treatment, continuously monitoring vital signs, managing medications, and taking proactive measures to prevent infections.

Intervention by Intensivists

The care of ICU patients is directed by intensivists, or critical care physicians, who are specially trained to oversee the care of patients with complex, life-threatening conditions. Unlike specialists who focus on a specific system — like cardiologists for the heart or pulmonologists for the lungs — intensivists have an in-depth understanding of how all body systems function together. This subspecialty is relatively new in the medical field, and it is less common in rural hospitals.

Suggestions for Families and Loved Ones

While the intensive care team focuses on providing expert care to the patient, they are also there to support families during this difficult time. Don’t hesitate to ask the intensivist questions and take notes to help you understand the patient’s progress. If in-person visits are limited or challenging, alternative ways to connect, such as phone calls, cards, and flowers, are encouraged. Family members can also bring small comforts like photos, music, or cozy socks to help brighten their loved one’s stay.

With the addition of intensivists and specialized services at Barton Health, we are committed to providing high-quality care within our community, ensuring local families can access expert care and support close to home, minimizing the need for lengthy hospital transfers during such a difficult time.

Clayton Josephy, MD, is an intensivist at Barton Memorial Hospital. Barton’s Level III Trauma Center provides medical services for trauma care and the immediate availability of emergency medicine physicians, surgeons, nurses, lab and x-ray technicians, and life-support equipment 24 hours a day. Learn more at BartonHealth.org. In case of emergency, always dial 9-1-1.