Table 1. Regional distribution, staffing, and admitting diagnoses of Korean ICU: year 2009 vs. 2014*.
| Parameters | 2009 | 2014 |
|---|---|---|
| No of ICUs in (%) | ||
| Capital region | 124 (56.4) | 80 (58.8) |
| Non-capital region | 96 (43.6) | 56 (41.2) |
| No. of units with dedicated physician on duty (%) | ||
| Director | 206 (93.6) | 126 (92.6) |
| Dedicated physician | 156 (70.9) | 114 (83.8) |
| Specialist | 38 (17.3) | 40 (29.4) |
| Mean no. of patients per | ||
| Daytime RN | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| No of patients with Primary admitting diagnosis | ||
| Respiratory insufficiency | 614 (19.2) | 281 (13.4) |
| Postoperative management | 365 (11.4) | 233 (11.1) |
| Brain hemorrhage | 310 (9.7) | 215 (10.3) |
| Prematurity | 301 (9.4) | 199 (9.5) |
| Neurologic dysfunction | 147 (4.6) | 105 (5.0) |
| Ischemic heart disorder | 146 (4.6) | 80 (3.8) |
| Others | 1,314 (41.1) | 980 (46.8) |
Director, medical doctor who assumes a major role in administrative duties and is also involved in management of ICU patients; Dedicated physician, medical doctor working in an ICU more than 8 hr a day as a trainee or specialist; Specialist, intensive care specialist on duty 5 days per week. *2014 data are interim results.