title: Developing a critical pathway for vascular access management. Case study of the anemic patient.
abstract: Critical pathways define the essential components of care that must occur within a specific time period to achieve a desired outcome. At Vanderbilt University Medical Center, a multidisciplinary critical pathway was developed to manage vascular access procedures. Before the pathway was instituted, the average cost for an inpatient vascular access procedure ranged from $10,000 to $20,000. After the pathway had been used for eighteen months, 95% of these procedures were done on an outpatient basis, and the average cost had decreased to between $4,000 and $5,000. A subjective survey revealed an increase in patient and family satisfaction with provided services.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Breiterman-White
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical / Q000191:economics / Q000451:nursing*; D019091:Critical Pathways; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000451:nursing*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016896:Treatment Outcome