Despite excellent care, a patient's condition may become critical while in the hospital. When all the beds in the intensive care unit are occupied by other critically ill patients, the Transitional Critical Care Service provides care to a critically ill patient in consultation with his or her primary physician until the patient can be moved to the intensive care unit. This consultation may occur in the Emergency Department, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit or in general inpatient units. The Service is staffed by full-time faculty members who are specialists in critical care, assisted by physicians undergoing advanced training in critical care medicine.