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International Programme for Resource Use in Critical Care (IPOC) – a methodology and initial results of cost and provision in four European countries
Author(s) -
Negrini D.,
Sheppard L.,
Mills G. H.,
Jacobs P.,
Rapoport J.,
Bourne R. S.,
Guidet B.,
Csomos A.,
Prien T.,
Anderson G.,
Edbrooke D. L.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2006.00901.x
Subject(s) - medicine , activity based costing , intensive care , observational study , german , resource use , purchasing , health care , purchasing power , purchasing power parity , environmental health , emergency medicine , medical emergency , operations management , accounting , economic growth , finance , intensive care medicine , environmental resource management , business , environmental science , archaeology , pathology , exchange rate , economics , history , keynesian economics
Background: A standardized top‐down costing method is not currently available internationally. An internally validated method developed in the UK was modified for use in critical care in different countries. Costs could then be compared using the World Health Organization's Purchasing Power Parities (WHO PPPs). Methods: This was an observational, retrospective, cross‐sectional, multicentre study set in four European countries: France, UK, Germany and Hungary. A total of 329 adult intensive care units (ICUs) participated in the study. Results: The costs are reported in international dollars ($) derived from the WHO PPP programme. The results show significant differences in resource use and costs of ICUs over the four countries. On the basis of the sum of the means for the major components, the average cost per patient day in UK hospitals was $1512, in French hospitals $934, in German hospitals $726 and in Hungarian hospitals $280. Conclusions: The reasons for such differences are poorly understood but warrant further investigation. This information will allow us to better adjust our measures of international ICU costs.