Economic impact of an electronic alert system to prevent venous thromboembolism in hospitalized patients.

Link to article at PubMed

Economic impact of an electronic alert system to prevent venous thromboembolism in hospitalized patients.

J Thromb Haemost. 2011 Apr 11;

Authors: Lecumberri R, Panizo E, Gomez-Guiu A, Varea S, García-Quetglas E, Serrano M, García-Mouriz A, Marqués M, Gómez-Outes A, Páramo JA

Background: Prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a priority to improve safety in hospitalized patients. Worldwide there is a growing concern with the undersuse of appropriate thromboprophylaxis. Computerised decision support improve implementation of thromboprophylaxis and reduce inpatient VTE, but an economic assessment has not been performed yet. Objectives: To evaluate the economic impact of an electronic alert (e-alert) system to prevent VTE in hospitalized patients, after four years operating. Patients/Methods: All hospitalized patients at one single institution during the first semesters of 2005 to 2009 (N=32,280) were included. All cases of VTE developed during hospitalization were followed and direct costs of diagnosis and management collected. Results: e-alerts achieved a maintained reduction of the incidence of in-hospital VTE, OR 0.50 (95% CI, 0.29-0.84), the impact being especially significant in medical patients, OR 0.44 (95% CI, 0.22-0.86). No increase in prophylaxis-related bleeding was observed. In our setting, the mean direct cost (during hospitalization and after discharge) of an in-hospital VTE episode is €7058. Direct costs per single hospitalized patient were reduced after e-alerts from €21.6 to €11.8, while the increased use of thromboprophylaxis and the development of e-alerts meant €3 and €0.35 per patient respectively. Thus, the implementation of e-alerts led to a net cost saving of €6.5 per every hospitalized patient. Should all hospitalized patients in Spain be considered, total yearly savings would approach €30 million. Conclusions: e-alerts are useful and cost-effective tools for thromboprophylaxis strategy in hospitalized patients. Fewer thromboembolic complications and lower costs are achieved by its implementation.

PMID: 21481177 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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