The Mobile Coronary Care Unit and The Intermediate Coronary Care Unit in The Total Systems Approach to Coronary Care

Abstract

A system of patient care is described in which the patient with acute myocardial infarction is under the umbrella of continuous electrocardiographic monitoring outside the hospital, in the emergency room, in the coronary care unit and, finally, in a mobilization unit which is referred to as the intermediate coronary care unit. The reasons why patients outside the hospital experience a long delay in arriving at coronary care are reviewed. Each community must examine the problems involved in the delay of coronary care and make appropriate adjustments in their plan for patients with acute myocardial infarction to overcome all and any delays. In addition to the high mortality rate of patients prior to onset of coronary care, there is also a substantial mortality in patients who have been discharged from the coronary care unit. The article describes a system for dealing with this latter problem.