[Estimation of nursing costs by a Patient Classification System(PCS) in ICU].
OBJECTIVE
The objective of our study was to figure out costs of nursing services in ICU based on the PCS in order to determine an appropriate nursing fee schedule.


METHODS
Data was collected from 2 hospitals from April 15-16 to April 22-23, 2003. The costs of nursing services in the ICU were analyzed by nursing time based on the nursing intensity. The inpatients in the ICU were classified by a PCS tool developed by the Korean Clinical Nurses Association(2000).


RESULTS
The distribution of patients by PCS in the ICU ranged from class IV to Class VI. The higher PCS in ICU consumed more nursing time. As a result, the higher nursing intensity, the more the daily average nursing costs in the ICU.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study provides evidence to refine the current nursing fee schedule that does not differentiate from the volume of nursing services based on nursing time. We strongly recommend that the current reimbursement system for nursing services should be applied not only to the general nursing units but also to the ICU or other special nursing units.
Sung
Younghee
Y
Department of Nursing, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Korea.
Song
Mi Sook
MS
Park
Jungho
J
D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005245:Fee Schedules; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000145:classification*; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000191:economics*; D009738:Nursing Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics*; D011445:Prospective Payment System; D013997:Time Factors