Cost-effectiveness of a paediatric retrieval service

Paediatric intensive care is expensive and accounts for a large share of inpatient expenditure. Recently, it has been claimed that not only is transfer of critically ill children best performed by specialist paediatric retrieval services (PRS) [1] but the use of such services should reduce the health care costs of these patients [2]. We report the effect a PRS has had on cost-effectiveness within the PICU, specifically: the median cost per survivor (CPS) and non-survivor (CPNS) and the effective cost per survivor (ECPS) within defined mortality risk intervals. Predicted mortality was calculated from the patients admission PRISM score, for both retrieved (R) and non-retrieved (NR) patients during the period 1 January 1994-31 December 1995. ECPS was determined by summing the total costs incurred within each mortality risk interval and dividing the sum by the total number of survivors.