The appointment of neurointensivists is financially beneficial to the employer.
BACKGROUND
Although the impact of a neurointensivist (NI) on patient outcomes has been examined in the past, the financial impact has not been estimated before.


METHODS
We extracted the financial data from the Neuro-Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Henry Ford Hospital during two 3-year periods, one before and one after the appointment of a NI. Net revenue (NR), total direct expenses (TDE), and contribution margin (CM) were compared between these two periods both for Henry Ford Hospital and the Henry Ford Medical Group.


RESULTS
The average number of admissions increased by 24% during the period when the NI was present, the number of patient-days by 25% and the average length of stay by 2%. In the second period, when the NI was billing for critical care time spent in the NICU, as well as for procedures he performed, the mean yearly NR was $402,000, the TDE $317,000 and the NR/TDE 1.24 (>1.0 represents profitability). The combined mean NR (Henry Ford Hospital + Medical Group) increased by 54.6%, the combined TDE by 42.2% and the combined CM by 91.2% in the period when the NI was present. This is reflected in the combined mean CM per admission, which also increased by 56.4% in the after period.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows a significant financial benefit for the Henry Ford Health System during the period when a NI was present in the NICU.
Varelas
Panayiotis N
PN
Department of Neurology, K-11, Henry Ford Hospital, 2799 West Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. varelas@neuro.hfh.edu
Abdelhak
Tamer
T
Wellwood
Jody
J
Benczarski
Donald
D
Elias
Stanton B
SB
Rosenblum
Mark
M
D004651:Employment / Q000191:economics; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000191:economics*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000191:economics; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008824:Michigan; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000473:pathology*; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000191:economics; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000191:economics