Impact on hospital costs by reducing the length of stay in intensive care
Intensive care units (ICUs) are high-tech nursing units designed for close observation, quick intervention, follow-up, and treatment of acute illnesses. Because of the world's and our country's growing general and aging populations, the demand for intensive care beds for life-threatening organ failure and chronic disease is rising. Because of the high cost of medication and the small number of intensive care beds, we must carefully choose patients. Long hospital stays in intensive care units are expensive and have a negative impact on patients, their families, and the economy of the country. In addition, the amount of time spent in the ICU has an effect on mortality. In order to improve the quality of medical care, the primary goal in intensive care is reducing the length of stay in intensive care and reduce cost.
By reducing the length of stay in intensive care, the cost of treatment for a patient is lowered and improves financial, operational, and clinical outcomes. It may also help to improve outcomes by lowering the risk of hospital-acquired illnesses. Infection risk management and the availability of physical therapy for respiratory failure patients within 48 hours of breathing tube insertion are two areas where improvements and controls can be made.
Hospitals are under more pressure than ever before to provide high-quality care at lower prices. Early mobilization has the potential to minimize LOS, hospital costs, and medical complications. It is necessary and beneficial to change the ICU's bed rest culture. Training lower-paid workers, such as mobility technicians, rather than higher-paid therapists or nurses, may reduce the cost of early mobilization even further. To avoid complications, patients on MV should be mobilized as soon as they are medically healthy. Longitudinal studies should be conducted to assess the total cost of treatment, as well as appropriate follow-up to determine functional status at home and in the community. Other studies may look at true ICU and hospital costs, as well as how patient numbers and turnover rates affect them. Furthermore, since consistency is becoming more important in reimbursement, the duration of critical illness discharge should be investigated to ensure that discharges occur at the right time to prevent readmissions.
