Objective: The objective of this study was assessment of hospital costs
of 211 preterm babies admitted to NICU in a 12-month period. Methods:
Preterm babies with gestational age 28-37 GW hospitalized in Dr. L.
Kırdar Kartal Research and Training Hospital NICU between November
1st, 2006 to October 31st, 2007 were included in this retrospective
study. The financial records of the babies were plotted and
investigational, interventional, consumable costs, drugs and ancillary
costs were determined. The average daily cost of a preterm has been
determined. Group I and II consisted of babies with gestational ages
37-33 GW and 32-28 GWs respectively. The length of stay, ventilation
duration and costs of each group were compared. Findings: The mean
birth weight was 1689±497 gr. The mean length of hospital stay was
13.6±13.4 days. Hundred and four (49,5%) patients were found to be
ventilated. The median ventilation day was 3 days. We found a
statistically significant relation between length of hospital stay,
ventilation duration, presence of intervention, RDS, sepsis and
hospital costs. The mean total hospitalization cost and the daily cost
of a preterm was determined as 4187and303 respectively. The highest
intensive care costs of preterm neonates were found to be paid for
interventional procedures, followed by NICU personnel salary and
ancillary costs. Between two groups statistically significant
difference was found for length of stay, duration of ventilation,
interventional and consumable costs (P=0.014, P=0.019, P=0,001, P=0.03
respectively). Conclusion: Strategies for prevention of prematurity and
early weaning from mechanical ventilation may shorten length of
hospital stay leading to decreased NICU costs
