Utilization and Outcomes in U.S. ICU Hospitalizations*

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Despite its importance, detailed national estimates of ICU utilization and outcomes remain lacking. We aimed to characterize trends in ICU utilization and outcomes over a recent 12-year period in the United States. DESIGN/SETTING: In this longitudinal study, we examined hospitalizations involving ICU care (“ICU hospitalizations”) alongside hospitalizations not involving ICU care (“non-ICU hospitalizations”) among traditional Medicare beneficiaries using 100% Medicare part A claims data and commercial claims data for the under 65 adult population from 2008 to 2019. PATIENTS/INTERVENTIONS: There were 18,313,637 ICU hospitalizations and 78,501,532 non-ICU hospitalizations in Medicare, and 1,989,222 ICU hospitalizations and 16,732,960 non-ICU hospitalizations in the commercially insured population. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: From 2008 to 2019, about 20% of Medicare hospitalizations and 10% of commercial hospitalizations involved ICU care. Among these ICU hospitalizations, length of stay and ICU length of stay decreased on average. Mortality and hospital readmissions on average also decreased, and they decreased more among ICU hospitalizations than among non-ICU hospitalizations, for both Medicare and commercially insured patients. Both Medicare and commercial populations experienced a growth in shorter ICU hospitalizations (between 2 and 7 d in length), which were characterized by shorter ICU stays and lower mortality. Among these short hospitalizations in the Medicare population, for common clinical diagnoses cared for in both ICU and non-ICU settings, patients were increasingly triaged into an ICU during the study period, despite being younger and having shorter hospital stays. CONCLUSIONS: ICUs are used in a sizeable share of hospitalizations. From 2008 to 2019, ICU length of stay and mortality have declined, while short ICU hospitalizations have increased. In particular, for clinical conditions often managed both within and outside of an ICU, shorter ICU hospitalizations involving younger patients have increased. Our findings motivate opportunities to better understand ICU utilization and to improve the value of ICU care for patients and payers.