A multidisciplinary approach for patients with multiple chronic conditions: IMPACTO study

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of a multidisciplinary intervention on the outcomes of polypathological patients (PP).

A multicenter quasi-experimental pre-post study with a 12-month follow up was performed. In-hospital, at discharge and outpatient clinics patients who met criteria of PP between March 2012 and October 2013 were included. The multidisciplinary approach was defined by 11 interventions performed by general practitioners, internal medicine physicians, team care nurses and hospital pharmacists. The primary outcome was reduction in the number of hospital admissions and days of hospitalization. Secondary outcomes included mortality and the effects of 11 interventions on mortality.

420 patients were included. Mean patient age was 77.3 (SD: 8.90) and average number of PP defining categories was 2.99 (SD: 1.00). Number of hospital admissions and days of hospitalization decreased significantly after intervention: 1.52 (SD: 1.35) versus 0.82 (SD: 1.29), p<0.001, and 13.77 (SD: 15.20) versus 7.21 (SD: 12.90), p<0.001 respectively. 12-month mortality was 37.7%. PP who failed to receive a structured medical visit from the internal medicine physician and educational workshops from the team care nurses had a higher risk of exitus in the next 12 months, HR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.15-2.46, p=0.007 and HR: 2.86; 95% CI: 1.92-4.27, p<0.001, respectively.

This multidisciplinary intervention reduced the risk of PP hospital admission and days of hospitalization. Educational workshop programs for PP and their caregivers and structured IM medical visits were associated with improvements of survival.