title: Evaluating a Telehealth Follow-up Program for Cardiology Patients Using Administrative Data.
abstract: This project evaluated the effect of a telehealth follow-up intervention on readmission rates for patients discharged from the Saskatoon Health Region cardiology units with ACS or HF. 1-year readmission rates for ACS patients were 27.4% (95% CI: [26%, 29%]) before telehealth implementation and 25.2% (95% CI: [24%, 27%]) after, producing an insignificant hazard ratio of 1.07 (95% CI: [0.97, 1.18], P=0.1899). For HF 50.3% (95% CI: [44%, 56%]) of pre-implementation and 47.9% (95% CI: [43%, 53%]) of post-implementation patients had a 1-year readmission, producing a HR of 1.04 (95% CI: [0.83, 1.26], P=0.6882). This analysis found no significant effect of telehealth on readmission rates for ACS or HF patients.
authors.affiliation: University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
authors.forename: Samuel Alan
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Saskatoon Health Region, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Worth
authors.affiliation: Saskatoon Health Region, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Burton
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002309:Cardiology / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012525:Saskatchewan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome