Division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care

The Multidisciplinary Critical Care (MDSCC) Service, under the direction of Addison K. May, MD, FACS, FCCM, provides care to critically ill and injured patients within the Surgical Intensive Care Unit in a collaborative multidisciplinary fashion. The Surgical ICU is a 21 bed ICU that serves a diverse group of patients including critically ill general, vascular, oncologic, transplant, thoracic, orthopedic, plastic, urologic, and head and neck surgical patients.

Addison K. May, MD, FACS, FCCM
Director, Surgical Critical Care

With over a decade of active service, the LifeFlight helicopters make over 2000 flights annually. LifeFlight and the Stallworth Rehabilitation Center allow patients to remain within the Vanderbilt system from the time of injury until their return to work. The trauma program at Vanderbilt is unique in that surgical residents gain exposure to the problems of both urban and rural trauma care. This comprehensive approach to trauma care and surgical critical care provides powerful research and educational opportunities for residents interested in a career in trauma surgery or surgical critical care.

In addition to the active clinical program, the division supports injury prevention, ongoing research opportunities, and continuing medical education programs for Advanced Trauma Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support.

Mission

• To provide the highest value of ICU care (outcomes/cost)
• To be a regionally and nationally recognized center of excellence in ICU care and educationHave excellence in ICU provide a regional impact the care of critically ill patients
• To support and produce nationally recognized clinical research

The MDSCC team consists of critical care physician team, a clinical pharmacist, and respiratory therapist working collaboratively with the nursing staff within the unit and with the primary service for the patient. The critical care physician team is comprised of board-certified Surgery and Anesthesiology intensivists, a critical care fellow, mid-level residents, and interns. To provide the highest level of Critical Care management, the MDSCC Service maintains the following characteristics:

• Dedicated board-certified ICU attending availability 24/7. Dedicated resident and fellow support specific to the SICU Timely MDSCC consultation for all patients at high risk of end organ dysfunctionContinuous implementation of evidence based 'best-practice' guidelines, aggressive process improvement and quality assurance programs
• Utilization of a critical care database and severity scoring for 'real-time' analysis of outcomes and changes

Maximizing the quality and value of care provided in the SICU is labor intensive requiring collaborative interactions between diverse groups. The MDSCC service and SICU views each of the services that primarily admit patients to the unit as its customers. Physician, nursing, and ancillary groups work collaboratively to standardize practice where appropriate and maintain excellence in all levels of care.

Service Responsibilities

• Patient management
• Student/Resident/Fellow education
• Education of admitting physicians regarding advances in Critical Care Medicine
• Performance of research in critically ill patients