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Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
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Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: February 26, 2013

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Impact of a dedicated center for atrial fibrillation on resource utilization and costs

Ankit Medhekar1, Suresh Mulukutla2, Whitney Adams2

  • 1Department of Medicine, Section of Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.

Clinical Cardiology
|January 20, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Referral to a dedicated Atrial Fibrillation (AF) center from the emergency department (ED) significantly cut healthcare costs and hospital stays. This approach improved patient outcomes by reducing overall expenses and admissions for AF patients.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Health Economics
  • Healthcare Management

Background:

  • Atrial Fibrillation (AF) impacts millions annually, leading to substantial healthcare resource utilization via emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations.
  • High costs associated with AF management necessitate innovative care models to improve efficiency and patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the hypothesis that referring patients diagnosed with AF in the ED to a specialized Center for AF would decrease overall healthcare expenditures.
  • To evaluate the impact of a dedicated AF center on reducing unnecessary inpatient admissions and improving specialized care delivery.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 96 patients with new AF diagnoses presenting to the ED were referred to the University of Pittsburgh Center for AF.
  • A control group of 96 matched patients was identified for comparison.
  • The primary outcome was 30-day total healthcare costs, with secondary outcomes including inpatient and outpatient costs, 90-day costs, and hospital stay characteristics.

Main Results:

  • Patients referred to the Center for AF demonstrated significantly lower average 30-day costs ($619 vs. $1252, p < 0.001) compared to controls.
  • Cost reduction was primarily driven by decreased ED care expenses, despite slightly higher outpatient costs.
  • Referral to the AF center also resulted in lower 30-day hospital admission rates and shorter lengths of stay, with sustained differences at 90 days.

Conclusions:

  • Directing ED patients with AF to a specialized Center for AF is an effective strategy for reducing overall healthcare costs.
  • This specialized referral pathway significantly decreases inpatient admissions and total hospital length of stay for AF patients.
  • Implementing dedicated AF centers can optimize resource utilization and improve the management of atrial fibrillation.
Abstract

Keywords:
atrial fibrillationcostquality

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