Can ICUs be used more efficiently?

Intensive care units (ICUs) account for a large portion of hospital costs. A review of recent literature and a study of one ICU suggest that these costs could be reduced by more careful patient assignments to units suited to meet their needs. Fifty patients cared for in an ICU 24 hours or less before the implementation of the diagnosis related group (DRG)-based prospective reimbursement were compared with 50 post-DRG patients. Although the average age of patients dropped slightly after the DRG system's implementation, few patients in either time period required the medical interventions and specialized equipment of an ICU.