How much does it cost to
survive in the intensive care unit?
Clare L Hibbert BA (Hons)
Senior Researcher
Medical Economics and Research Centre, Sheffield (MERCS)
Intensive Care Unit, Royal Hallamshire Hospital
Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0) 114 2713510
Margaret Corcoran BA (Hons)
Researcher
Medical Economics and Research Centre, Sheffield (MERCS)
Intensive Care Unit, Royal Hallamshire Hospital
Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0) 114 2713510
Joanne Dean BA (Hons)
Research Associate
Medical Economics and Research Centre, Sheffield (MERCS)
Intensive Care Unit, Royal Hallamshire Hospital
Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0) 114 2713510
David Edbrooke FRCA
Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care
Medical Economics and Research Centre, Sheffield (MERCS)
Intensive Care Unit, Royal Hallamshire Hospital
Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0) 114 2713510
Elizabeth Coates BA (Hons)
Research Associate
Medical Economics and Research Centre, Sheffield (MERCS)
Intensive Care Unit, Royal Hallamshire Hospital
Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0) 114 2713510
Philip Jacobs D Phil
Professor of Health Economics
Institute of Health Economics
Edmonton
Canada
mailto:Philip.Jacobs@Ualberta.CA
Abstract
Aim: To determine the cost of survivors and non-survivors in the Intensive
Care Unit (ICU).
Design: Retrospective, observational analysis of individual intensive care
patient costs.
Setting: Adult six bedded general ICU in a university hospital located in the
United Kingdom.
Patients: Two hundred and seventy patients consecutively admitted over a one-year
period (1st April 1996 - 31st March 1997) to the ICU at
the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield (UK).
Measurements: Individual total costs per patient were measured using an activity-based
costing system. Length of stay and ICU mortality data were obtained for each
patient.
Results: The mean (SD) total cost of survivors was £3,514.72 ± 6801.24 and the
mean total cost of non-survivors was £3,573.41 ± 5,201.56 using a study by
Glance et al, the cost implications of using a scoring system to withdraw
therapy at forty-eight hours were estimated. When non-survivors having a length
of stay < 48 hours and non-survivors having a length of stay > 48 hours
were analysed separately, a significant difference (p<0.0001) was observed
between mean total cost of survivors compared to non-survivors having a length
of stay > 48 hours. The mean total costs of non-survivors were reduced from
£3,573 to £1,189.