Planning and Budgeting

Abstract

Planning and budgeting for a critical care unit is as essential as complicated. Critical care requires allocation of resources in a very changing environment and with many unpredictable variables. A significant proportion of the hospital budget is allocated to critical care while only a limited group of patients receive care in the ICU. Fact, critical care does not provide direct financial profits although it might have a positive or negative impact on institutional budget, but given the multiple intervening factors and varied budgetary elements, it becomes very difficult to calculate the return of investment (ROI) for a determined intensive care intervention. Such a challenge in a very demanding healthcare environment require investment in technology, application of costly treatments, and a very much personalized delivery of care. Calculating and justifying costs associated to the delivery of critical care becomes then a challenge. Additional factors need to be considered, including local and regional differences, policies, and beliefs as well as the interaction among different professionals. Finally, aspects related to the application of new technologies and the delivery of educational programs might also influence the planning and budgeting of an intensive care unit (ICU).