The Role of the Neurointensivist
The Neurointensivist is trained to manage general critical care and neurological critical care patients with a focus on the interplay between the brain and the rest of the body’s vital organs. The neurointensivist generally assumes the primary role for coordinating the care of his or her patients in the ICU, both the neurological and medical management of the patient. In addition to standard interventions, a neurocritical care expert offers specific care including monitoring:
- Intracranial pressure
- Cerebral hemodynamics
- Therapeutic hypothermia
- Advanced monitoring (cerebral oximetry, cerebral microdialysis and continuous electroencephalography)
A growing body of evidence demonstrates that care provided by this subspecialty team improves outcomes. When dedicated neurointensivists in the Neurointensive Care Unit (NICU) were charged with managing all aspects of care for patients suffering from traumatic brain injury, hemorrhagic stroke, or subarachnoid hemorrhage, they achieved lower mortality, better functional outcome and reduced length of stay compared to care provided in the general ICU.
Tele-Neurocritical
Care Services
Our neurologists and neurocritical care specialists collaborate with your organization’s critical care team to provide essential, life-saving health care for patients suffering from neurological ailments such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, neuromuscular disorders, spine injury and more. Our neurocritical care providers are available in minutes for emergency consultations and are experts in devising multidisciplinary long-term care plans for these often-complex patient cases. We constantly monitor the rapidly evolving clinical trials and standards of evidence-based care in this growing subspecialty and incorporate them into our protocols.
