For physical rehabilitation in the ICU, is it early to bed, early to rise?

摘要

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." Good advice for colonial Americans, but does this maxim applies to today's intensivists considering an Early Physical Rehabilitation (EPR) program? In this issue of Critical Care Medicine, Lord et al (1) have written an article that deals with cost savings that may be attained with an EPR program. They conclude that under a variety of assumptions, there is almost always net cost savings with EPR. They also provide an Excel spreadsheet to estimate savings depending on assumed costs of the program, the number of admissions, the ICU and Floor costs, and the reductions in ICU and Floor lengths of stay (LOS).