The Heart Failure Supportive Care Service reduced HF-related admission days from 18.3 pre-referral to 4 days post-referral (p<0.001), saving an estimated £10,218 per patient.
Observational (n=236)
Does a Heart Failure Supportive Care Service improve patient experience and reduce hospital admissions in patients with advanced heart failure?
A cospeciality cross-boundary palliative care service for advanced heart failure improves patient-reported outcomes, reduces hospital bed days, and delivers substantial cost savings.
Absolute Event Rate: 4% vs 18.3%
p-value: p=<0.001
OBJECTIVES: Heart failure (HF) is a prevalent condition associated with poor quality-of-life and high symptom burden. As patients reach ceilings of survival-extending interventions, their priorities may be more readily addressed through the support of palliative care services; however, the best model of care remains unestablished.We aimed to create and evaluate a cospeciality cross-boundary service model for patients with HF that better provides for their palliative care needs in the latter stages of life, while delivering a more cost-effective patient journey. METHODS: In 2016, the Heart Failure Supportive Care Service (HFSCS) was established to provide patient-centred holistic support to patients with advanced HF. Patient experience questionnaires were developed and distributed in mid-2018 and end-of-2020. Indexed hospital admission data (in-patient bed days pre-referral/post-referral) were used allowing statistical comparisons by paired t-tests. RESULTS: From 2016-2020, 236 patients were referred to the HFSCS. Overall, 75/118 questionnaires were returned. Patients felt that the HFSCS delivered compassionate care (84%) that improved symptoms and quality of life (80% and 65%). Introduction of the HFSCS resulted in a reduction in HF-related admissions: actual days 18.3 to 4 days (p<0.001), indexed days 0.05 to 0.032 days (p=0.03). Cost mapping revealed an estimated average saving of at least £10 218.36 per referral and a total estimated cost saving of approximately £2.4 million over 5 years. CONCLUSION: This service demonstrates that a cospeciality cross-boundary method of care delivery successfully provides the benefits of palliative care to patients with HF in a value-based manner, while meeting the priorities of care that matter to patients most.
Atkinson et al. (Mon,) conducted a observational in Advanced heart failure (n=236). Heart Failure Supportive Care Service (HFSCS) vs. Pre-referral (historical self-control) was evaluated on Heart failure-related admissions (actual days) (p=<0.001). The Heart Failure Supportive Care Service reduced HF-related admission days from 18.3 pre-referral to 4 days post-referral (p<0.001), saving an estimated £10,218 per patient.