Rehabilitation after critical illness in adults

What 'critical care' means

'Critical care' is now used as the term that encompasses 'intensive care', 'intensive therapy' and 'high dependency' units.

Critical care is needed if a patient needs specialised monitoring, treatment and attention, for example, after routine complex surgery, a life-threatening illness or an injury.

If someone needs critical care, they can be said to have a 'critical illness'.