title: Patient outcomes and cost analysis associated with an outpatient deep venous thrombosis treatment program.
abstract: Low-molecular-weight heparins are safe and effective for outpatient treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). An outpatient DVT treatment program was established in a 532-bed nonprofit teaching hospital. With the cooperation and skills of a multidisciplinary team, 125 patients were treated for acute DVT primarily at home over 26 months. Preliminary results demonstrated a drop in average length of hospitalization from 5.4 days before the program to 0.97 days. All patients successfully completed a course of enoxaparin, averaging 5.23 days, with 4.26 days of treatment as outpatients. One hundred twenty-two patients (97.6%) required no rehospitalization for any reason, including recurrence of DVT and bleeding complications, throughout the 90-day anticoagulation treatment course. The hospital achieved a cost avoidance of $2470.68/patient. For all 125 patients, total cost avoidance was $308,835.17.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Campbell University School of Pharmacy, Buies Creek, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Groce
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight