Timely patient discharge from the NICU can provide financial benefits to the hospital. Infants exposed to a quieter environment can grow faster and growth provides the evidence of thriving that is necessary for discharge.
In a financial environment where a fixed reimbursement is provided based on an admitting diagnosis and associated comorbidities such as found in Medicaid patients, base costs accumulating each day may eventually exceed the reimbursement. An early, safe discharge helps keep hospitals under budget.
