Continuous vital sign monitoring in patients after elective abdominal surgery: a retrospective study on clinical outcomes and costs.

Aim: To assess changes in outcomes and costs upon implementation of continuous vital sign monitoring in postsurgical patients. Materials & methods: Retrospective analysis of clinical outcomes and in-hospital costs compared with a control period. Results: During the intervention period patients were less frequently admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) (p = 0.004), had shorter length of stay (p < 0.001) and lower costs (p < 0.001). The intervention was associated with a lower odds of ICU admission (odds ratio: 0.422; p = 0.007) and ICU related costs (odds ratio: -662.4; p = 0.083). Conclusion: Continuous vital sign monitoring may have contributed to fewer ICU admissions and lower ICU costs in postsurgical patients.

Costs and outcomes of mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry monitoring post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Aim: To estimate the costs and outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) recipients based on the use of mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry (MCOT) monitoring. Materials & methods: A retrospective database study was conducted to estimate costs, contribution margins (CMs), pacemaker insertions and other outcomes for patients undergoing TAVR procedures with MCOT monitoring post-procedure versus non-MCOT monitoring. Results: A total of 4164 patients were identified (283 MCOT monitoring and 3881 non-MCOT monitoring). The rate of pacemaker insertion following hospital discharge was higher in the MCOT cohort (6.6 MCOT vs 2.1% non-MCOT; p = 0.007). MCOT use was associated with lower costs and improved CMs of the index TAVR admission (costs: US$40,569 MCOT vs $43,289 non-MCOT; p = 0.003; CMs: US$7087 MCOT vs $5177 non-MCOT; p = 0.047) with no difference through the subsequent 60-day period following discharge. Conclusion: MCOT for ambulatory cardiac monitoring post-TAVR discharge is associated with higher rates of pacemaker insertion, at no overall greater costs.

Economics of implementing an early deterioration detection solution for general care patients at a US hospital.

Aim: This study estimates the costs and outcomes pre- versus post-implementation of an early deterioration detection solution (EDDS), which assists in identifying patients at risk of clinical decline. Materials & methods: A retrospective database analysis was conducted to assess average costs per discharge, length of stay (LOS), complications, in-hospital mortality and 30-day all-cause re-admissions pre- versus post-implementation of an EDDS. Results: Average costs per discharge were significantly reduced by 18% (US$16,201 vs $13,304; p = 0.007). Average LOS was also significantly reduced (6 vs 5 days; p = 0.033), driven by a reduction in general care LOS of 1 day (p = 0.042). Complications, in-hospital mortality and 30-day all-cause re-admissions were similar. Conclusion: Costs and LOS were lower after implementation of an EDDS for general care patients.

Early deterioration detection solutions (EDDS) assist in identifying patients at risk of clinical decline to enable a timely response. This study estimates the costs and outcomes before and after implementation of an EDDS at a US hospital for general care patients. Results show average costs per discharge and average length of stay were significantly reduced after implementation. Complications, in-hospital mortality and 30-day all-cause re-admissions were similar in the two time periods.

Mobile Cardiac Outpatient Telemetry Patch vs Implantable Loop Recorder in Cryptogenic Stroke Patients in the US - Cost-Minimization Model.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare costs and outcomes of mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry (MCOT) patch followed by implantable loop recorder (ILR) compared to ILR alone in cryptogenic stroke patients from the US health-care payors' perspective. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A quantitative decision tree cost-minimization simulation model was developed. Eligible patients were 18 years of age or older and were diagnosed with having a cryptogenic stroke, without previously documented atrial fibrillation (AF). All patients were assigned first to one then to the alternative monitoring strategies. Following AF detection, patients were initiated on oral anticoagulants (OAC). The model assessed direct costs for one year attributed to MCOT patch followed by ILR or ILR alone using a monitoring duration of 30 days post-cryptogenic stroke. RESULTS: In the base case modeling, the MCOT patch arm detected 4.6 more patients with AFs compared to the ILR alone arm in a cohort of 1000 patients (209 vs 45 patients with detected AFs, respectively). Using MCOT patch followed by ILR in half of the patients initially undiagnosed with AF leads to significant cost savings of US$4,083,214 compared to ILR alone in a cohort of 1000 patients. Cost per patient with detected AF was significantly lower in the MCOT patch arm $29,598 vs $228,507 in the ILR only arm. CONCLUSION: An initial strategy of 30-day electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring with MCOT patch in diagnosis of AF in cryptogenic stroke patients realizes significant cost-savings compared to proceeding directly to ILR only. Almost 8 times lower costs were achieved with improved detection rates and reduction of secondary stroke risk due to new anticoagulant use in subjects with MCOT patch detected AF. These results strengthen emerging recommendations for prolonged ECG monitoring in secondary stroke prevention.

Clinical and Economic Benefits of Stent Grafts in Dysfunctional and Thrombosed Hemodialysis Access Graft Circuits in the REVISE Randomized Trial.

PURPOSE: To compare reinterventions and associated costs to maintain arteriovenous graft hemodialysis access circuits after rescue with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), with or without concurrent Viabahn stent grafts, over 24 months. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This multicenter (n = 30 sites) study evaluated reintervention number, type, and cost in 269 patients randomized to undergo placement of stent grafts or PTA alone. Outcomes were 24-month average cumulative number of reinterventions, associated costs, and total costs for all patients and in 4 groups based on index treatment and clinical presentation (thrombosed or dysfunctional). RESULTS: Over 24 months, the patients in the stent graft arm had a 27% significant reduction in the average number of reinterventions within the circuit compared to the PTA arm (3.7 stent graft vs 5.1 PTA; P = .005) and similar total costs ($27,483 vs $28,664; P = .49). In thrombosed grafts, stent grafts significantly reduced the number of reinterventions (3.7 stent graft vs 6.2 PTA; P = .022) and had significantly lower total costs compared to the PTA arm ($30,329 vs $37,206; P = .027). In dysfunctional grafts, no statistical difference was observed in the number of reinterventions or total costs (3.7 stent graft vs 4.4 PTA; P = .12, and $25,421 stent graft and $22,610 PTA; P = .14). CONCLUSIONS: Over 24 months, the use of stent grafts significantly reduced the number of reinterventions for all patients, driven by patients presenting with thrombosed grafts. Compared to PTA, stent grafts reduced overall treatment costs for patients presenting with thrombosed grafts and had similar costs for stenotic grafts.

A randomized controlled trial and cost-effectiveness analysis of early cannulation arteriovenous grafts versus tunneled central venous catheters in patients requiring urgent vascular access for hemodialysis.

OBJECTIVE: Early cannulation arteriovenous grafts (ecAVGs) are proposed as an alternative to tunneled central venous catheters (TCVCs) in patients requiring immediate vascular access for hemodialysis (HD). We compared bacteremia rates in patients treated with ecAVG and TCVC. METHODS: The study randomized 121 adult patients requiring urgent vascular access for HD in a 1:1 fashion to receive an ecAVG with or without (+/-) an arteriovenous fistula (AVF; n = 60) or TCVC+/-AVF (n = 61). Patients were excluded if they had active systemic sepsis, no anatomically suitable vessels, or an anticipated life expectancy <3 months. The primary end point was the culture-proven bacteremia rate at 6 months, with the trial powered to detect a reduction in bacteremia from 24% to 5% (α = .05, ß = .8). Secondary end points included thrombosis, reintervention, and mortality. A cost-effectiveness analysis was also performed. RESULTS: Culture-proven bacteremia developed in 10 patients (16.4%) in the TCVC arm ≤6 months compared with two (3.3%) in the ecAVG+/-AVF arm (risk ratio, 0.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.12-0.56; P = .02). Mortality was also higher in the TCVC+/-AVF cohort (16% [n = 10] vs 5% [n = 3]; risk ratio, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.08-0.45; P = .04). The difference in treatment cost between the two arms was not significant (£11,393 vs £9692; P = .24). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with TCVC+/-AVF, a strategy of ecAVG+/-AVF reduced the rate of culture-proven bacteremia and mortality in patients requiring urgent vascular access for HD. The strategy also proved to be cost-neutral.