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Economic evaluation of a nursing-led intermediate care unit
G Richardson1, P Griffiths, J Wilson-Barnett
1University of York.
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care
|August 10, 2001
Summary
Nursing-led wards did not significantly alter patient outcomes but increased inpatient costs. However, post-discharge costs were lower, suggesting potential long-term savings for this nursing care model.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Nursing Research
- Health Economics
Background:
- Nursing-led intermediate care units are proposed to address the inappropriate use of acute medical wards.
- Patients requiring additional nursing rather than medical care may be better suited for specialized units.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the costs associated with implementing a nursing-led ward program.
- To assess the impact of nursing-led wards on patient outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 177 patients (mean age 77).
- Patients were assigned to either a nursing-led ward (n=97) or standard consultant-led care (n=80).
- Resource utilization, including length of stay and multidisciplinary involvement, was recorded.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in patient outcomes were observed between the groups.
- The nursing-led ward group incurred higher inpatient costs due to a longer length of stay.
- The nursing-led ward group demonstrated significantly lower post-discharge costs.
Conclusions:
- The overall cost-effectiveness of nursing-led intermediate care units depends on sustained reductions in post-discharge resource use.
- Further research is needed to determine the long-term economic impact of these specialized nursing units.