Stiles A D, Metzguer K, O'Hale A, Cefalo R C
Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Pediatrics. 1991 Jun;87(6):904-8.
A shortage of neonatal intensive care facilities has been encountered in some areas of the country including North Carolina. To examine possible solutions to this health care delivery problem, a cross-sectional survey of all the neonatal intensive care units in North Carolina was performed to examine characteristics of patients occupying the beds in these facilities. It was found that a substantial amount of chronic care is now occurring in neonatal intensive care beds, with 38% of occupants of neonatal intensive care beds being 31 days of age or older and 3% being mechanically ventilated at 91 days of age or older. In addition, according to criteria established for this study, a substantial number of "convalescent" patients (32%) were occupying beds in neonatal intensive care units. It is concluded that an increase in both intermediate/convalescent care beds and establishment of chronic care facilities in North Carolina, rather than an increase in intensive care beds in these units, would alleviate the shortage of neonatal intensive care facilities. Further, the characteristics of the population occupying neonatal intensive care unit beds should be considered by health planners in addition to occupancy rate, when new facilities are being established.
在美国一些地区，包括北卡罗来纳州，已经出现了新生儿重症监护设施短缺的情况。为了研究解决这一医疗服务问题的可能方案，对北卡罗来纳州所有新生儿重症监护病房进行了横断面调查，以了解这些设施中占用床位患者的特征。结果发现，现在大量的长期护理正在新生儿重症监护床位上进行，38%的新生儿重症监护床位占用者年龄在31天及以上，3%的患者在91天及以上仍需机械通气。此外，根据本研究制定的标准，大量“康复期”患者（32%）占用了新生儿重症监护病房的床位。得出的结论是，北卡罗来纳州增加中级/康复期护理床位并建立长期护理设施，而不是增加这些单位的重症监护床位，将缓解新生儿重症监护设施的短缺。此外，在建立新设施时，卫生规划者除了考虑占用率外，还应考虑占用新生儿重症监护病房床位人群的特征。
