Outcomes and cost-effectiveness of intermediate care units for patients discharged from the intensive care unit: a nationwide retrospective observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The clinical and economic impacts of intermediate care units (IMCUs) on intensive care unit (ICU)-discharged patients remain unclear due to inconsistent outcomes in previous studies. Under Japan's National Health Insurance Scheme, ICUs are categorized by staffing intensity (high or low). Using a nationwide inpatient database in Japan, we evaluated the clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of IMCUs for ICU-discharged patients.

Methods

This retrospective observational study used a Japanese administrative database to identify patients admitted to the high-intensity ICU in hospitals with IMCUs between April 2020 and March 2023. Patients were categorized into the IMCU (IMCU group) and general ward (non-IMCU) groups. Propensity scores were estimated using a logistic

SUBMITTER: Ikumi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12020178 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature