The average cost of one day of futile treatment in the ICU was $4,004 per patient. The cost of caring for the 123 patients whose treatment was perceived as being futile, both in and out of the ICU, was $2.6 million, the researchers found.he average cost of one day of futile treatment in the ICU was $4,004 per patient. The cost of caring for the 123 patients whose treatment was perceived as being futile, both in and out of the ICU, was $2.6 million, the researchers found.