title: [Methods for cost-effectiveness evaluation of intensive care].
abstract: Intensive care costs are a challenge to the health care system. Because of a political strategy aiming at competition as well as the documentation of treatment quality, cost-effectiveness evaluations are important in order to clarify the association between quality and the costs of treating critically-ill patients. The context of cost-effect analyses is important. Most studies apply the hospital's perspective based on surrogate markers such as organ failure and length of stay as a replacement for health status evaluation in the context of society. The treatment of critically-ill patients aims at improved health. Cost-effectiveness analyses should therefore include quality variables in that the healthcare system is an integral and inseparable part of society.
authors.affiliation: Rigshospitalet, Intensiv Terapiafdeling ITA 4131, København Ø. heslet@image.dk
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heslet
authors.forename: Jakob Steen
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Keiding
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000191:economics; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000191:economics; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years