Improving quality, reduce cost of care for critically ill patients

The Surgical Critical Care Initiative (SC2i) was established at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) here under the leadership of Navy Capt. (Dr.) Eric Elster, chair of the university's Normal M. Rich Department Surgery. USU will partner with the Naval Medical Research Center, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Emory University, Duke University and DecisionQ, to develop decision-making tools for the management of complex and critically injured patients and translating these advances into clinical practice.

SC2i investigators will analyze data collected in standard practice in both the military and civilian health care systems, leveraging lessons learned from recent conflicts, to establish tools that support clinical decision-making and accelerate assessments, ultimately saving thousands of health care dollars.

SC2i will undertake a number of projects across several disciplines, including integrated research platforms across all of the partnering institutions and rapid turnaround of innovation into deliverable products. Some of initial areas the SC2i will focus on include wound closure, targeting severe infections, decompensation in the intensive care unit, and decisions surrounding surgical interventions in traumatic brain injury patients.

"A decade of conflict has resulted in the lowest mortality rate in the history of conflict despite an increasing injury severity. As a result, the injury patterns that we are presented with are among the most complex and challenging seen in modern medicine. The aim of this effort is to change critical care by enhancing decision-making by making better use of information. This is a direct benefit from the experience gained in taking care of wounded warriors over the past decade," said Elster.