Kandu Health Reduces 30-Day Readmissions After Intracerebral Hemorrhage and Stroke

Introduction/Purpose Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States and creates a substantial burden on patients, families, and healthcare systems. Beyond immediate patient outcomes, hospital readmissions following stroke contribute to rising healthcare costs. The potential for readmissions to be either unfunded or denied by payers puts a specific strain on hospital resources due to lost revenue and is exacerbated by locations with predominantly low‐income populations. The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes and readmission rates of stroke patients pre‐ and post‐introduction of Kandu Health, a person‐centered telehealth service. Materials/Methods Retrospective data from stroke survivors pre‐introduction of Kandu Health were reviewed and compared with prospective data collected from survivors post‐introduction. The primary outcome was 30‐day readmission rates at any hospital in the system. Inclusion criteria were intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and ischemic stroke diagnoses during current admission, with the patient returning home directly from the hospital or home via acute rehab. Post Kandu Health introduction, all subjects were offered to enroll in the telehealth services. Exclusion criteria included transient ischemic attack (TIA) or unconfirmed stroke and returning home to hospice. Fisher's Exact Test was used, and the study was deemed exempt from IRB oversight. Results A total of 405 individuals were included, 258 pre‐introduction (136 male, 122 female), 147 post Kandu Health (76 male, 71 female). Median age was 64.5 years (SD = 13.7) for the pre group and 64.4 years (SD = 14.6) for the post group. Pre Kandu Health, 23 of 258 (8.9%) were readmitted within 30 days compared with 3 of 147 (2.0%) post introduction. 30‐day readmissions showed a statistically significant reduction post Kandu Health introduction (OR 0.21, 95%CI 0.04‐0.73, p = 0.0057). Conclusion Hospital 30‐day readmissions were reduced after the introduction of Kandu Health telehealth services. A larger study, post‐introduction, is required to determine enrollment‐based outcomes.