Medical consumption compared for TIMI and HEART score in chest pain patients at the emergency department: a retrospective cost analysis.
To investigate which risk score (TIMI score or HEART score) identifies the largest population of low-risk patients at the emergency department (ED). Furthermore, we retrospectively calculated the corresponding expected decrease in medical consumption if these patients would have been discharged from the ED.



We performed analyses in two hospitals of the multicentre prospective validation study of the HEART score, executed in 2008 and 2009. Patients with chest pain presenting to the ED were included and information was collected on major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and on hospital admissions and diagnostic procedures within 6 weeks. The TIMI and HEART score were calculated for each patient.



We analysed 640 patients (59% male, mean age of 60, cumulative incidence of MACE 17%). An estimated total of €763 468 was spent during follow-up on hospital admission and diagnostic procedures. In total, 256 (40%) patients had a HEART score of 0-3 and were considered low risk (miss rate 1.6%), a total of €64 107 was spent on diagnostic procedures and hospital admission after initial presentation in this group. In comparison, 105 (16%) patients with TIMI score of 0 were considered low risk (miss rate 0%), with a total of €14 670 spent on diagnostic procedures and initial hospital admission costs. With different cut-offs for low risk, HEART 0-2 (miss rate 0.7%), would have resulted in a total of €25 365 in savings, compared with €71 905 when an alternative low risk cut-off for TIMI of TIMI≤1 would be used (miss rate 3.0%).



The HEART score identifies more patients as low risk compared with the TIMI score, which may lead to a larger reduction in diagnostic procedures and costs in this low-risk group. Future studies should prospectively investigate whether adhering to the HEART score in clinical practice and early discharge of low-risk patients is safe and leads to a reduction in medical consumption.
Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
A
A
Nieuwets
Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
J M
JM
Poldervaart
Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
J B
JB
Reitsma
Department of Emergency Medicine, Gelderse Vallei Hospital, Ede, The Netherlands.
S
S
Buitendijk
Department of Cardiology, Zuwe Hofpoort Hospital, Woerden, The Netherlands.
A J
AJ
Six
Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical Center Haaglanden, Den Haag, The Netherlands.
B E
BE
Backus
Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
A W
AW
Hoes
Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
P A
PA
Doevendans
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making / Q000379:methods; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009426:Netherlands; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
HEALTH ECONOMICS