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Preventing rehospitalization for heart failure

Posted Jul 28, 2009 at 01:25 PM, EDT by Eric Topol

Recent figures indicate an astounding 27% of heart-failure patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. Can new wireless sensors pave the way to better monitoring, reduced hospitalization rates, increased quality of life, and substantial savings for the healthcare system?

See:

Rehospitalizations among patients in the Medicare fee-for-service program. N Engl J Med. 2009 Apr 2;360(14):1418-28.

"Hospital Compare" refines, expands its MI, heart-failure outcomes data. theheart.org.; Jul 16, 2009.

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I am of the opinion that optimal medical treatment in conjuntion with auditing of this complex group of patients . For example arrange for outpatient follow up of key and routine tests such as complete blood biochemistry , chest x-ray and echocardiogramme  in conjunction with 14 days outpatient reviewal after discharge from the heart failure ward

This is how I manage my patients and readmissions in my hospital is  in the region of 60(sixty) days post discharge

 


Posted by frederick kemah, Aug 15, 2009 Publié le frederick kemah, 08.15.2009
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Eric,

With the "baby boom" inception into the Medicare realm; hospitalization rates can only increase. Re-hospitalization rates naturally should follow. Whether one has Class III or IV CHF or angina, or is pro-inflammatory; wireless sensors to help co-manage disease processes could hold significant value. Preventing re-hospitalization for heart failure would be a huge savings for CMS; but the possibility of 'remote' disease management of hypertension, cardiomyopathies, oncologic and hematologic pathologies; silent angina....list goes on; empowers the patient and physician. The technology is here; its appropriateness needs to be vetted.

Issues will be how is it paid for, who deserves to be monitored, is it temporary or permanent, and physician/technician  training.

Hope all is well,

Scott Sheldon


Posted by W Scott Sheldon, Aug 19, 2009 Publié le W Scott Sheldon, 08.19.2009
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The heart is a muscle like any other in the body. It needs blood flow to supply oxygen to allow it to do work. When there isn't enough oxygen, the muscle starts to suffer, and when there is no oxygen, the muscle starts to die.Carnegie Mellon University has a great new marketing tool when they came up with the Death Risk Rankings.  The Death Risk Rankings are fairly scientific, as the death calculator analyzes statistics and medical questions as well as taking where a person lives into account as well. Their website, at deathrickrankings.com can give you an estimate on whether or not a person will be kicking the bucket in the next year or two.  It's a lot more scientific than other death calculator tools that just say a person will get attacked by rabid cannibal squirrels.  A person can determine their death risk rankings without needing to get fast cash to find out – but it's only a prediction.


Posted by LohanP, Aug 29, 2009 Publié le LohanP, 08.29.2009
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Who's talking
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Eric J Topol MD
Director, Scripps Translational Science Institute
The Gary and Mary West Chair of Innovative Medicine
Chief Academic Officer, Scripps Health
La Jolla, CA