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The Alere Heart Failure Program has demonstrated that close monitoring and ongoing education by a qualified cardiac nurse can significantly reduce hospitalizations.
Heart Failure Hospitalization Savings
Heart failure is a leading cause of hospitalizations in people over 65. In 2001, 995,000 adults were hospitalized for heart failure, as the primary diagnosis, with an average hospital stay of 5.4 days1.
A study on Medicare beneficiaries indicates that 44% of these hospitalizations are readmissions occurring within 6 months of discharge2. It is estimated that more than $20 billion is spent annually for the care of these heart failure patients3.
In the US over two thirds of patients with heart failure are cared for by primary care physicians versus specialized cardiologists. Improving the outpatient care and management of heart failure patients is therefore crucial in order to save lives and to reduce associated healthcare costs.
The Alere Heart Failure Program has demonstrated that close monitoring and ongoing education by a qualified cardiac nurse can significantly reduce hospitalizations for patients with heart failure. Patients on the Alere Heart Failure Program show a reduction of up to 86% in hospitalization after 1 year on the program and an average of .13 admissions per patient year.
One study of patients on the Alere Heart Failure Program showed after 1 year4:
|
|
Medicare+Choice Population
|
Commercial Population
| ||
|
|
Enrolled in Alere |
Not Enrolled |
Enrolled in Alere |
Not Enrolled |
|
Reduction in Heart Failure related bed days |
53% |
0% |
69% |
9% |
|
Cost Savings |
50% |
0% |
60% |
9% |
References:
1. National Center for Health Statistics. 2001 National Hospital Discharge Summary. Advance Data 332; April 9 2003.
2. Krumholz et al. Readmission after hospitalization for congestive heart failure among Medicare beneficiaries. Arch. Intern. Med. 1997;157:99-104.
3. Rich MW. Heart Failure. Cardiol. Clin. 1999;17:123-135.
4. Nobel, Jeremy & Norman, Gordon. Emerging Information Management Technologies and the Future of Disease Management (Disease Management, Winter 2003)