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EVALUATION OF SHORT‐TERM EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DISEASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM “DI.PRO.DI.” ON CONTINUITY OF CARE OF PATIENTS WITH CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE
Author(s) -
Pecchia Leandro,
Schiraldi Fernando,
Verde Sossio,
Mirante E.,
Bath Peter A.,
Bracale Marcello
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02985.x
Subject(s) - medicine , heart failure , intensive care unit , population , health care , disease , emergency medicine , intensive care medicine , public health , medical emergency , nursing , environmental health , economics , economic growth
This study aimed to assess the early effectiveness of a disease management program (DMP), called ‘‘Dimissione Protetta Difficile’’ (Di.Pro.Di) conducted by personnel from the intensive care unit (ICU) of Public Hospital S. Paolo, Naples, Italy. This hospital serves an area of 31km2 with 211,000 inhabitants (20.6% aged 65). This controlled nonrandomized trial aimed to stabilize patients fully with three home visits in the 3 months after discharge. Rehospitalizations and hospital length of stay of elderly patients suffering from congestive heart failure (CHF) after discharge from the ICU were focused on, because reducing these outcomes is a crucial challenge for developed countries because of their increasing elderly population. The literature shows that DMPs improve care. Comparing these outcomes in treatment and control groups, using conventional statistic tests, it was observed, albeit in small numbers, that Di.Pro.Di significantly reduces the number and risk of rehospitalizations and total hospital length of stay