Cost of neonatal care

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Medicine
• Healthcare Economics

Background:

• Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) provide critical care for newborns.
• Understanding the cost of neonatal care is essential for resource allocation and healthcare policy.
• Regional units serve a broader population, potentially impacting cost structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the operational costs of a regional neonatal medical and surgical unit over a six-month period.
• To analyze cost variations based on patient case type, weight, and origin (regional vs. district).

Main Methods:

• A six-month cost evaluation was conducted for a regional neonatal unit.
• Data collected included total costs, inpatient days, admissions, and patient-specific cost breakdowns.
• Analysis focused on medical cases, weight groups, and patient origin.

Main Results:

• The unit incurred a total cost of £970,000 over six months, covering 4349 inpatient days and 282 admissions.
• Medical case costs varied widely (£132–£27,600), with mean daily costs ranging from £159–£274 by weight group.
• Regional patients (£258/day) were more costly than district patients (£199/day). Critically low birth weight infants (<1000g) incurred significant costs, with nine deceased infants costing £30,991.

Conclusions:

• The study quantifies the substantial costs associated with a regional neonatal unit.
• Patient factors like birth weight and origin significantly influence daily care costs.
• Care for extremely premature infants represents a notable portion of the unit's budget.