Outcomes and resource utilization for newborns with major congenital malformations: the initial NICU admission.
OBJECTIVE
Newborns with major congenital malformations (MCM) have contributed to a significant proportion of resource utilization in a regional referral neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).


METHODS
The Children's Hospital Medical Center NICU, Cincinnati, OH.


METHODS
Newborns with and without MCM admitted from August 1, 1993 through July 31, 1994. Total patients studied were 572; 147 with and 385 without MCM. No intervention was performed in this observational study.


METHODS
Statistics were t test, chi-squared, and rank sum analysis.


RESULTS
MCM accounted for 27.6% of NICU referrals, 32.4% of total NICU days, and 39.6% of NICU costs. Both median cost per patient and length of stay were significantly (p < 0.01) higher for patients with MCM than those without MCM. Surgery was more frequent in MCM than non-MCM cases. Thirty-three percent of the newborns with MCM received ongoing medical support at discharge.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with MCM remain as one of the largest and costliest groups hospitalized in a referral NICU.
Lindower
J B
JB
Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Atherton
H D
HD
Kotagal
U R
UR
D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D006295:Health Resources / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay; D009820:Ohio; D016896:Treatment Outcome