Abstract

Whilst music listening interventions may help alleviate anxiety in mechanically ventilated Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients, it is not known whether they can reduce ICU costs. This commentary critically assesses an economic evaluation which compared the cost-effectiveness of a patient-directed music intervention to usual care in mechanically ventilated patients in Midwestern United States ICUs. The economic evaluation found that the patient-directed music intervention was cost-effective compared to usual care. However, this commentary highlights some potential limitations of the evaluation and factors to consider for implementation of music interventions conducted in a United Kingdom (UK) setting. Future economic evaluations using UK cost data would be valuable to assess the cost-effectiveness of music interventions in a UK setting. Future evaluations should also consider delirium and pain outcomes, in addition to anxiety outcomes, as these may also impact on cost of ICU care.