title: Three hundred admissions to the Waikato Hospital intensive therapy unit--survival, costs, and quality of life after two years.
abstract: Three hundred consecutive admissions 13 years of age and above who entered the Waikato Hospital intensive therapy unit, were followed up after two years. Their degree of illness was similar to that in other intensive care units. At two years, 26% of the patients were dead. Maori admissions and death rates more than doubled those of the nonMaori. Once admitted, the proportion dying was identical in both groups. The average stay in ITU was 6.3 days. The average stay in hospital including ITU, was 28 days. One hundred and fifty-nine people (168 admissions) were traced and questioned about their quality of life. Seventy-four percent had a good quality, 19% were affected, and 7% had a severely affected quality of life. Preliminary estimates of cost suggest that the average ITU cost per patient is about $9500, and the average total hospital cost for any patient entering ITU is about $20,000.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Therapy Unit, Waikato Hospital, Hamilton.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Havill
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Sceats
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004469:Economics, Hospital; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*