Structured Approach to Early Recognition and Treatment of Acute Critical Illness

Well-known global health priorities (malaria, pneumonia, sepsis, diarrhea, human immunodeficiency virus [HIV], tuberculosis, trauma), although very different threats to an individual’s health, share a common consequence: Development of acute, life-threatening illness. In the developed world, such illness is routinely treated in an intensive care unit (ICU) by highly specialized physicians, nurses and support staff. This model of intensive care is spreading rapidly to low and middle income countries and as it spreads, challenges and limitations to this model arise [1].