title: Pro/con debate: are barrier precautions cost-effective in improving patient outcomes in the intensive care unit?
abstract: You are responsible for a large medical surgical ICU. Your hospital administration has been very focused on reducing rates of hospital-acquired infections particularly in the wake of increasing public attention. However, it is time for budget preparation and your financial officer is concerned about the escalating costs associated with patient isolation and barrier precautions/personal protective equipment. Having become aware of the high costs associated with these interventions, you start to wonder about the wisdom of spending so much in this area. Your hospital administration wants your direction on next year's expenditures. You are debating whether the expense is worthwhile and advise your hospital administration accordingly.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital and University Health Network, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, 600 University Avenue, Suit 415, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada.
authors.forename: Nisha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thampi
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D003422:Critical Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000191:economics*; D016896:Treatment Outcome