System, Space, Staff, and Stuff framework in establishing a new pediatric critical care unit (PICU) (4S Framework)

Author(s): Hakem Alomani MD, Fawaz Alanzi MD, Yousef Alotaibi MD

By virtue of being in a developing country with ongoing expanding of the healthcare system, establishing or at least renovating a Pediatric critical care unit (PICU) has become a necessity. As intensivists and healthcare providers, we excel at our job as clinicians; however, we perform less than perfect when it comes to participating in establishing new PICUs and deliberately building and designing an EBM and patient-centered PICU with a complete understanding of the technical and non-clinical processes during commissioning or operational phases like construction, physical layout (blueprint), Biomedical engineering aspects, equipment, supply, and work-environment enhancement. If all healthcare providers -and especially intensivists- avoid being involved actively in PICUs designing process at their institution, they will miss an opportunity to gain a new perspective as well as they might contribute to a fragmented process of ICU design and a suboptimal result that might impact the PICU environment, patient journey and eventually the quality of care in that ICU. The PICU designing processes should be handled via a multi-professional team approach in an integrated -not parallel- manner that includes clinical and non-clinical personnel. Therefore, the processes will be more integrated, and they will finish the project efficiently, effectively, safely, and patient-centered way. This paper is an expert opinion and literature review that describes a conceptual framework to guide simple and practical mental processes in establishing and designing processes for new PICUs in developing countries. We called this preparedness tool: the 4S framework (system, space, staff, and stuff). It is a well-known preparedness tool that is commonly used in planning new projects by project leaders. Therefore, we utilized it in establishing a new PICU intended to meet the national and international accreditation standards and requirements. This unique preparednes