title: The cost-effectiveness of a special care unit to care for the chronically critically ill.
abstract: To assess the relative value of healthcare programs, technologic innovations, and clinical decisions, policymakers are searching for ways to evaluate cost-effectiveness. What constitutes cost-effectiveness and how should it be measured? The authors discuss ways in which the cost-effectiveness of clinical programs can be measured and describes various methods of assessing both costs and effectiveness. Comparison of the cost-effectiveness of a nurse managed special care unit with that of traditional intensive care units illustrates some of these methods.
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003422:Critical Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000191:economics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D017741:Survivors; D016896:Treatment Outcome