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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Predicting the future for newborns requiring intensive care
1Division of Neonatalogy, Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, 87131, Albuquerque, NM.
Insights
Newborn intensive care has saved many premature infants, but costs are rising. Preventing premature births is key to controlling escalating healthcare expenses for neonatal intensive care.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Public Health
- Healthcare Economics
Background:
- Neonatal intensive care (NIC) was established 30 years ago to reduce mortality in sick and premature infants.
- Significant advancements in NIC have led to improved survival rates for vulnerable newborns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the economic impact of improved survival rates in neonatal intensive care.
- To identify strategies for managing the escalating costs associated with neonatal intensive care and long-term survivor support.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of survival rates and associated healthcare costs.
- Economic modeling to project future cost trends.
- Literature review on prematurity prevention strategies.
Main Results:
- Neonatal intensive care has successfully improved infant survival rates.
- Increased survival has led to escalating costs for intensive care and ongoing care for handicapped survivors.
- Current cost trajectories are unsustainable without intervention.
Conclusions:
- While successful in saving lives, neonatal intensive care presents significant and growing financial challenges.
- Proactive initiatives focused on preventing premature births are essential to mitigate rising healthcare expenditures.
- A shift towards prevention is necessary to ensure the long-term economic viability of neonatal care services.
Abstract:
When intensive care for newborns was introduced thirty years ago its primary goal was to improve the rates of survival of sick and premature infants. Medicine has been successful in attaining this goal; however, as more infants survive, the cost of intensive care and the additional cost of services and care for handicapped survivors continue to escalate. In order to curb the increasing cost of newborn intensive care, heightened initiatives directed at the prevention of premature births will be necessary.
