title: Decreasing NICU Costs in the managed care arena: the positive impact of collaborative high-risk OB and NICU disease management programs.
abstract: Costs for preterm and critically ill neonates in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can be astronomical related to the number of inpatient day's accrued and professional ancillary fees. NICU births are often associated with maternal risk factors such as previous preterm or low birth weight delivery, maternal infections, chronic disease states, substance abuse and/or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Accordingly, Johns Hopkins HealthCare provides a disease management approach for the prevention of NICU births through "Partners With Mom." This maternity disease management program identifies pregnant women that could potentially generate high-dollar claims. The mission of the program is to reduce hospital/NICU admissions related to pregnancy complications and improve maternal/neonatal outcomes. If an NICU birth does occur, multiple avenues are pursued to control costs. By working in concert with Partners With Mom, the NICU Disease Management Program utilizes a multifaceted approach by tracking maternal risk factors, optimizing levels of required inpatient neonatal care and pursuing other avenues of revenue enhancement.
authors.affiliation: NICU/Special Needs Child Care program, John Hopkins HealthCare LLC (JHHC), USA.
authors.forename: Beth C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Diehl-Svrjcek
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D019090:Case Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003363:Cost Control; D019468:Disease Management; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000191:economics*; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008396:Maryland; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008484:Medicaid / Q000458:organization & administration; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000191:economics; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors