Evaluation of the reimbursement associated with infants with very-low-birth-weight

The aim of this research is to evaluate the factors affecting the reimbursement associated with very-low-birth-weight infants admitted to the third level of neonatal intensive care unit and survived. Advances in modern science and the high-cost and quality care given in neonatal intensive care units have resulted in increased survival rate of infants with very-low-birth-weight. However, these babies are susceptible to chronic morbidities that has substantial social and economic burdens. These morbidities not only increase the expenses and duration of stay in the intensive care units, but also causes re-hospitalization and neurodevelopmental delay in these infants. The study comprised 774 survived infants that was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. 50.5% of these babies were male with median birth weight of 1150 grams (min:490; max:1495) and length stay of 53 days (min:14; max: 357). The median cost was ₺52141.02 (min:11973.91; max:287088.80) in infants with morbidities and ₺33032.53 (min:12697.29; max:146471.82) in those without morbidities. In the regression analysis, the application of phototherapy, and an increase in birth interval and gestational age have been identified to reduce the reimbursement, while having co-morbities (bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, neonatal retinopathy), using ventilation supports (non-invasive and invasive ventilation), and having multiple pregnancies had an increasing effect on the reimbursement. The development of pre-pregnancy policies that can reduce premature births and reduce the risk of morbidities will contribute to both the development of a healthier generation and the reduction of neonatal intensive care unit costs.