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There has been an increase in the number and size of closed ICUs in Alexandria, Egypt that has not been met by a comparable increase in the number of intensivists. Consequently, leading to work overload and negative impact on both patients and intensivists. A study was conducted using an in-person questionnaire of 254 ICU Consultants and In-house physicians working in closed ICUs, obtaining information about their demographic data, patient workload, other hospital and medical duties and perception of the workplace and teaching environment to investigate the impact of the different intensivist/patient ratios on the intensivists and patient care in the participating ICUs and achieve an optimum intensivist/patient ratio.

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Critical Care medicine specialist & ICU director, Sharm International Hospital, Egypt. MBBch, MSc, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria Uni. Diploma of Health Care Quality Management. American Heart Association regional instructor in the Middle East & North Africa. Member of the Egyptian Society of Critical Care Medicine.

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