Best interventions to increase cost-effectiveness in adult critical care units: Consensus statement

Recently published paper discusses a consensus statement on interventions to promote cost-effectiveness in adult intensive care units (ICUs) based on a multinational and multidisciplinary eDelphi study involving 61 ICU experts from 21 countries. This study aimed to identify globally applicable interventions for best ICU practice and provide guidance for resource management. The Delphi process involved three rounds, leading to the identification of 50 best practice considerations and 9 critical ones. The critical best practice considerations included the adoption of a multidisciplinary ICU model of care, staff training and competency assessment, ongoing quality audits, implementation of a dynamic staff roster, a multidisciplinary approach to implementing end-of-life care, early mobilization, and promoting the international consensus effort on the Green ICU concept. The study aims to guide stakeholders in identifying locally applicable specifics while working within these best practice considerations with the available resources. The paper highlights the lack of cost-effectiveness studies in ICUs and the increasing healthcare costs associated with intensive care treatments, especially with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ICU care. The authors also discuss the limitations and future research needs of the study, while emphasizing the importance of validating the proposed interventions, involving more scientific societies, and considering patient and family perspectives in the future. The findings of the study have global applicability and aim to ensure high-quality critical care services both inside and outside ICUs while promoting cost-effectiveness.

Reference –

Kansal, A., Latour, J.M., See, K.C. et al. Interventions to promote cost-effectiveness in adult intensive care units: consensus statement and considerations for best practice from a multidisciplinary and multinational eDelphi study. Crit Care 27, 487 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13054-023-04766-2.