ECONOMIC-ASPECTS IN CRITICALLY ILL INTENS IVE-CARE PATIENTS

Since 1992 the data for all patients referred to our ICU have been ent ered on computer and analyzed for parameters relevant to therapeutic e ffectiveness on the one hand and cost-containment on the other. The an alysis of data for 5424 patients concerning APACHE II-score, age, numb er of ICU days, time of mechanical ventilation and/or hemodialysis, ca rdio-respiratory complications and insufficiency, ICU discharge date a nd hospital discharge date demonstrates a profile or our intensive car e services using all resources efficiently. The data revealed no ethic ally acceptable parameter or necessity to include economic considerati ons in medical decisions which had to be taken for individual patients and situations.