Neurocritical Care Society

The Neurocritical Care Society (NCS) is an international, multidisciplinary nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the care and outcomes of patients with life-threatening neurologic illnesses in the intensive care unit.

History

Established in 2002, with Thomas P. Bleck, MD, MCCM as its founding president, the Neurocritical Care Society has grown to include a diverse membership of healthcare professionals. These include physicians from various disciplines, nurses, advanced practice providers, pharmacists, and other allied health professionals specializing in neurocritical care. In the early years, physician board certification in neurocritical care often required dual residency training in neurology and internal medicine due to the lack of critical care training available to neurology residents. Today, fellowship training in neurocritical care is a minimum of two years, emphasizing both general critical care and neurologic critical care. Neurocritical care was recognized as a subspecialty in the USA by the United Council of Neurological Subspecialties (UCNS) in 2006, with the first board examination held in 2007.

Mission

The primary mission of the Neurocritical Care Society is to advance the field of neurocritical care through education, research, and advocacy. This includes supporting research initiatives, disseminating evidence-based guidelines for the management of neurocritical conditions, and providing educational resources and leadership opportunities to its members.

Conferences and Publications

The Neurocritical Care Society hosts an annual meeting each year, which began in 2003 and continues to this day. The Society publishes several key resources:

• Neurocritical Care Journal: The official journal of the NCS, which serves as a leading source of scientific investigation and analysis in acute neurological care.
• The Practice of Neurocritical Care: A comprehensive textbook on neurocritical care.
• Currents: An online content hub providing insights and perspectives from the neurocritical care community worldwide.

Guidelines and Resources

The Society issues guidelines aimed at guiding healthcare professionals in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of various neurocritical conditions. These guidelines are developed through a rigorous process involving evidence-based research and collaboration with other medical societies. Additionally, the NCS offers various educational materials, including certification courses, podcasts, and webinars, to support healthcare providers in the field.

Initiatives

In 2019, the NCS launched Curing Coma, a global public health initiative aimed at developing and implementing strategies to improve the treatment and outcomes of patients with coma. This initiative underscores the Society's commitment to advancing neurocritical care and improving patient lives.