Table 1 Patient characteristics
| Â | Overall | Pre-introduction period | Post-Introduction period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
(168 hospitals) | (164 hospitals) | (167 hospitals) | Std. Diff. | |
(n = 33,568) | (n = 19,065) | (n = 14,503) |  | |
Age, mean (SD) | 70.42 (13.57) | 70.26 (13.62) | 70.n(13.51) | − 0.03 |
Male sex | 21,174 (63.1) | 12,057 (63.2) | 9117 (62.9) | 0.01 |
Body mass index (kg/m2), mean (SD) | 22.89 (5.81) | 22.84 (4.56) | 22.96 (7.13) | −0.02 |
Smoking Status | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Current / Past smoker | 17,963 (53.5) | 10,260 (53.8) | 7703 (53.1) | 0.01 |
Charlson Comorbidity Index | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 0 | 10,109 (30.1) | 5808 (30.5) | 4301 (29.7) | 0.02 |
 1 | 2718 (8.1) | 1528 (8.0) | 1190 (8.2) | −0.01 |
  ≥ 2 | 20,741 (61.8) | 11,729 (61.5) | 9012 (62.1) | −0.01 |
Angus score on admission | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 0–1 | 16,796 (50.0) | 9509 (49.9) | 7287 (50.2) | −0.01 |
 2 | 13,727 (40.9) | 7820 (41.0) | 5907 (40.7) | 0.01 |
 3–6 | 3045 (9.1) | 1736 (9.1) | 1309 (9.0) | 0 |
Barthel index | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Total and severe dependence (0–55) | 12,539 (43.9) | 7055 (43.5) | 5484 (44.5) | −0.02 |
 Moderate and slight dependence (60–95) | 1907 (6.7) | 1125 (6.9) | 782 (6.3) | 0.02 |
 Independence (100) | 14,101 (49.4) | 8030 (49.5) | 6071 (49.2) | 0.01 |
Emergency admission | 22,421 (66.8) | 12,752 (66.9) | 9669 (66.7) | 0 |
Ambulance use | 16,286 (48.5) | 9240 (48.5) | 7046 (48.6) | 0 |
Previous location before admission | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Home | 29,609 (88.2) | 16,816 (88.2) | 12,793 (88.2) | 0 |
Home based care service use before hospital admission | 1113 (3.3) | 664 (3.5) | 449 (3.1) | 0.02 |
Days from hospitalization to ICU admission, mean (SD) | 5.05 (10.43) | 5.08 (10.61) | 5.01 (10.18) | 0.01 |
Drugs within 2 days of admission | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Vasopressors | 19,966 (59.5) | 11,389 (59.7) | 8577 (59.1) | 0.01 |
 Corticosteroids | 11,155 (33.2) | 6200 (32.5) | 4955 (34.2) | −0.04 |
 Neuromuscular blocking agents | 19,845 (59.1) | 11,272 (59.1) | 8573 (59.1) | 0 |
 Aminoglycosides | 1531 (4.6) | 850 (4.5) | 681 (4.7) | −0.01 |
Procedures within 2 days of admission | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Mechanical circulatory support | 3079 (9.2) | 1759 (9.2) | 1320 (9.1) | 0 |
 Renal replacement therapy | 1477 (4.4) | 833 (4.4) | 644 (4.4) | 0 |
 Mechanical ventilation | 20,193 (60.2) | 11,499 (60.3) | 8694 (59.9) | 0.01 |
 Nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation | 194 (0.6) | 107 (0.6) | 87 (0.6) | 0 |
 High-flow nasal cannula | 1357 (4.0) | 691 (3.6) | 666 (4.6) | −0.05 |
 Blood transfusion | 14,688 (43.8) | 8356 (43.8) | 6332 (43.7) | 0 |
Primary diagnosis (ICD-10) | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Circulatory system | 22,454 (66.9) | 12,824 (67.3) | 9630 (66.4) | 0.03 |
 Digestive system | 1212 (3.6) | 673 (3.5) | 539 (3.7) | −0.01 |
 Infectious and parasitic disease | 506 (1.5) | 293 (1.5) | 213 (1.5) | 0 |
 Neoplasms | 4496 (13.4) | 2607 (13.7) | 1889 (13.0) | 0.03 |
 Nervous system | 329 (1.0) | 172 (0.9) | 157 (1.1) | −0.03 |
 Respiratory system | 1547 (4.6) | 880 (4.6) | 667 (4.6) | 0 |
 Other codes | 3024 (9.0) | 1616 (8.5) | 1408 (9.7) | −0.06 |
Hospital volume, mean (SD) | 258.61 (155.59) | 265.57 (142.60) | 249.46 (170.75) | 0.1 |
Hospital type (academic) | 12,305 (36.7) | 6815 (35.7) | 5490 (37.9) | −0.05 |
Patient-to-nurse ratio, mean (SD) | 1.12 (0.40) | 1.11 (0.34) | 1.13 (0.46) | −0.02 |
Intensivist certified hospital | 20,882 (62.2) | 11,762 (61.7) | 9120 (62.9) | −0.05 |
Dedicated therapist | 4288 (12.8) | 2166 (11.4) | 2122 (14.6) | −0.17 |