Mechanical ventricular assistance: an economical and effective means of treating end-stage heart disease.
Publication/Presentation Date
8-1-1995
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Heightened awareness of medical costs has escalated criticism toward expensive medical therapy.
METHODS: The use of ventricular assistance devices (VADs) at Pennsylvania State University as a bridge to transplantation was reviewed. Records of 43 patients listed as status 1 from July 1991 to July 1994 were compared.
RESULTS: This analysis demonstrated that for all patients treated with the intent to transplant, those who were bridged with a VAD exhibited a trend toward an improved transplantation rate (92% versus 68%) and a significantly greater rate of discharge from the hospital (92% versus 55.4%; p = 0.023) than the medically managed patients. Although overall charges and costs were higher in VAD-supported patients, this was related to significantly longer pretransplantation hospitalization. When normalized to daily costs and charges, this discrepancy in expenses was eliminated.
CONCLUSIONS: The superior rate of discharge at equitable daily costs and charges for the VAD patients draws continued enthusiasm toward use of these devices as a bridge to transplantation. Furthermore, development of outpatient care for VAD-supported patients and continued advances in the use of these devices may further reduce the cost of managing these critically ill patients.
Volume
60
Issue
2
First Page
284
Last Page
290
ISSN
0003-4975
Published In/Presented At
Mehta, S. M., Aufiero, T. X., Pae, W. E., Jr, Miller, C. A., & Pierce, W. S. (1995). Mechanical ventricular assistance: an economical and effective means of treating end-stage heart disease. The Annals of thoracic surgery, 60(2), 284–291. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-4975(95)00445-q
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
7646088
Department(s)
Department of Surgery
Document Type
Article