Palmdale Regional Launches ICU Intensivist Program
Sound Critical Care and Palmdale Regional Medical Center have launched an ICU Intensivist Program.
Sound Critical Care’s program focuses on multidisciplinary rounding, a team-based quality improvement program and implementation of evidence-based guidelines. Dr. Syed Ahmed, a locally established pulmonologist, assumed the ICU Program Medical Director role. Dr. Ahmed will continue to serve his practice while undertaking this new role at Palmdale Regional. Dr. Mike Lieber, who is the Regional Medical Director for Sound Critical Care, is directly involved in program implementation and management.
“We’re excited for the opportunity to partner with Palmdale Regional Medical Center and improve outcomes for patients in the Palmdale community,” said Steve Matchett, MD, CEO for Sound Critical Care.
The role of the intensivist physician is to monitor all ICU patients including daily multidisciplinary rounds, where every aspect of the patient’s care is reviewed with the entire team including pharmacy, respiratory, physical therapy, dietary, nursing and the patient’s admitting physician. The intensivist is not the patient’s primary physician, but provides guidance between the primary and all consults to keep ICU patients properly managed so they can heal and move through the system more quickly.
Along with overseeing personalized care, intensivists also manage the admission and discharge of patients in the ICU. They are therefore able to help ensure patients can progress out of the ICU as soon as possible. Expected outcomes include decreased ICU length of stay, decreased hospital acquired infections, increased mobility and decreased ventilator time. Having an intensivist available can also be a valuable resource to patients’ loved ones. The intensivist can answer questions and educate family members so they can be a part of the patient’s plan of care.
The intensivists at Palmdale Regional are scheduled for day shifts from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. Joining Medical Director Dr. Syed Ahmed in providing coverage are Dr. Imran Sharief and Dr. Reza Kermani, all fellowship trained physicians.
“We are very pleased to be able to provide this program for our ICU patients,” says Richard Allen, CEO of Palmdale Regional. “Our goal is to always provide the best possible care for our patients and to give the highest quality services to those patients who are the most vulnerable.”