Neonatal back-transport. Cost-effectiveness.

This study examines the cost-effectiveness of returning previously ill neonates to community hospitals after treatment in a tertiary center, a concept known as "back-transport." The authors compared the charges for medical care during convalescence of a group of back-transported infants (BT infants; n = 20) with a similar group of infants who remained in a tertiary center for convalescence (NT infants; n = 20). The total charges for convalescent care (inpatient plus transport charges) for 20 representative BT infants was $61,840, compared with $68,240 for 20 matched NT infants, an average savings of $320 per BT infant. The average daily bed charge and charges for laboratory tests and medications were significantly less for BT infants compared with NT infants, and these reductions offset the transport charges for BT infants. The authors conclude that back transport decreases the charges for medical care for most infants. Therefore, the decision to back-transport an individual infant usually can be based on factors other than cost.