The fixed cost relates to human resources, the specialised equipment and the ward management costs. Therefore, critical care management in an ICU facility take up over 80 per cent of total costs in an ICU facility. They are not variable costs because the specialists at the public facilities constitute the largest cost for caring of an ICU patient. Variable costs come from the medication, disposal equipment and the duration of patient stay and any rehabilitation costs during recovery. What this implies is that it is incredibly difficult to change the economics of the ICU management in any health system by shifting costs on the variables costs alone.

Source: Daily Nation April 25, 2020 22:07 UTC