Intensivists are physicians who have received training in critical care beyond their primary residency. They initially train in and receive board certification in a specific medical specialty, such as surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics or anesthesiology. Subsequently, they train in and obtain a subspecialty certification specifically in critical care medicine. A unique feature of the training is collaboration with others to deliver optimized patient care. Intensivists deliver care in a hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU), partnering with critical care team members including other consultant physicians, critical care nurses, pharmacists and respiratory therapists. They are generally the team leader, facilitating all members to meet the patient’s complex needs. They are specially trained on all the organ systems, as well as the medications, procedures and technology specific to the treatment of critically ill patients. They also help to set policies, develop protocols and facilitate communication within the ICU.
Studies show that care by intensivists greatly improves the quality of care in the ICU. According to The Leapfrog Group, which has identified intensivist staffing as one of its "safety standards," more than 54,000 ICU deaths could be avoided if this standard were implemented.