Economic Modeling to Understand the Relationship Between Clinicians and Outcomes of Mechanically Ventilated Patients

The one million Americans who undergo mechanical ventilation (MV) annually in intensive care units (ICUs) are at high risk for morbidity and mortality. Even after accounting for differences in acuity, variability exists in processes of care, patient outcomes, and resource utilization. We have shown that risk-adjusted outcomes of MV patients vary among physicians, and other studies have identified specific nurse and physician factors associated with patient outcomes, suggesting that clinicians contribute to this variability. However, MV patients are typically cared for by multiple clinicians in interprofessional teams, which has not been accounted for in these studies. Furthermore, measurement of effective team collaboration remains elusive. Understanding the contributions of individuals and teams would help to bridge this knowledge gap and inform efforts focused on team collaboration to reduce undue variability in MV patient care and outcomes. This study will rigorously evaluate of the contributions of clinicians and teams to mechanical ventilation (MV) patient outcomes, advance the science of team effectiveness, and evaluate new methods for performance measurement and outcomes research.

Sponsors

• National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)