Key result
Early telemedicine follow-up linked to ~45% lower 30-day readmissions in heart failure.
Why the study?
The rapid implementation of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic created uncertainty about its effectiveness compared to in-person visits for reducing 30-day readmissions in heart failure patients.
Population
6918 patients with heart failure hospitalized in North Carolina between March 16, 2020 and March 14, 2021
Comparison
Early telemedicine follow-up vs early in-person follow-up vs no early follow-up
Design
Cohort study using electronic health records from a large health system
Follow-up
30 days
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May support early telemedicine follow-up in heart failure to curb readmissions; leaves open need for randomized confirmation.
Cohort (n=6,918)
No
Odds Ratio: 0.55 (95% CI 0.44–0.72)
Absolute Event Rate: 15% vs 23.1%
p-value: p=<0.001
A 2022 study conducted a cohort in Heart failure (n=6,918). Early telemedicine follow-up vs. No early follow-up was evaluated on All-cause readmission within 30 days of discharge (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.44-0.72, p=<0.001). Early outpatient follow-up via telemedicine significantly reduced the odds of 30-day readmission by 45% compared to no early follow-up in patients with heart failure (OR 0.55).
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