Mapping Greener HealthcareMapping Greener Healthcare

Goal: The aims of the project were to show that increasing therapy input alongside a strict sedation protocol would both reduce intensive care length of stay and improve functional outcomes for patients following discharge from CICU.

Background: Survival following critical illness is improving but is often associated with a poor functional outcome which may persist for years. Immobilisation due to sedation may exacerbate muscle wasting and deconditioning of the body. The team sought to improve patient outcomes while reducing the resource intensity of recovery for patients on the CICU.

Approach:

1. An initial training period was required to familiarise staff with equipment.

2. The technician delivers two 30 minute sessions of rehabilitation/ mobilisation therapy daily in addition to standard physiotherapy sessions.

3. Therapy is started for cardiac patients with a strict criteria, within 24 hours of being intubated andventilated and continued until discharge from CICU.

Savings: The cost of the intervention per year is £12,000 for a Therapy Technician and £18,000 for a MOTOmed Letto2. Conservative estimates of yearly savings in bed days (one bed day per patient) equal to £77,500 and 8,950KgCO2e including a reduction of 1 day of ventilation per patient. This culminates in total yearly savings of £47,500 and 8950KgCO2e.