Medically Reviewed by Marwan K. Elya, MD

Patients in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) require a special level of medical help, due to the seriousness of their injuries or illnesses. McLeod Critical Care Specialist Marwan Elya, MD, describes the care available at the McLeod Regional Medical Center:

Here’s an overview of Dr. Elya’s comments:

Intensivists admit patients to the intensive care unit. Each patient has a critical care nurse, who manages and monitors the patient. In addition, we have the support of nurse practitioners throughout the day and night.

Each of our ICUs has critical care pharmacists, respiratory therapists, dieticians, among other healthcare professionals, providing evidence-based medicine. Some of the procedures that intensivists perform include intubations, center line placements, arterial line placements, thoracentesis, lumbar punctures and bronchoscopies, among other procedures.

We have in-house 24/7 coverage by intensivists, who are board-certified. Our intensivists are also board-certified in pulmonology, which focuses on the lungs and airways, giving our patients access to the highest quality of pulmonary care.

Sepsis, for example, is one of the most serious conditions facing the nation.  Sepsis occurs when the body’s response to an infection is out of balance, triggering changes that can damage multiple organ systems. Having an intensivist program has allowed McLeod to achieve the highest quality in the care of sepsis patients. Our hospital ranks very high in achieving the quality measures for sepsis, and our work has helped saving lives and making a difference in patients’ lives.