Regional intensive care medicine network in Baden-Wurttemberg

In recent years there has been a marked increase in our knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of diseases relevant to intensive care medicine. It is demonstrably possible through the application of evidence-based measures to treat patients more effectively and so to improve outcome. Although information on these new measures is available, the prevalence study of SepNet [4], for example showed that ventilation with low tidal volume was employed in only 4% of the patients with ALI/ARDS. In order to support the introduction of evidence-based medicine into daily routine care, to establish quality management, to enable an exchange of views, and to develop common SOPs, an intensive medical care network was established in Baden-Wurttemberg. The aim of this network is to implement high quality treatment in the departments while sparing own resources.