Cost analysis of the Novacor Left Ventricular Assist System as an outpatient bridge to heart transplantation

ASAIO Journal : a Peer-reviewed Journal of the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs
F A ArabiaJ G Copeland

Abstract

Three patients were bridged to heart transplantation with the wearable Novacor Left Ventricular Assist System (Baxter Healthcare Corp., Oakland, CA) (LVAS). Two have been transplanted and discharged. The third patient remains at home. Hospitalization costs, which include the unit room charge, admission profile to the unit, and daily supply charge, were determined for all patients and compared. The patients were transferred from the surgical intensive care unit to a telemetry unit once they were hemodynamically stable. The projected hospitalization costs, if the patients had remained in the hospital, were calculated to determine probable savings for the third party payer. The average period from admission to placement of the Novacor LVAS was 15 days (range, 7-21 days). The average hospitalization cost from admission to time of Novacor left ventricular assist device implant was $2,240/day, and the average hospitalization cost after implant to discharge was $1,570/day. Hospitalization cost savings were $2,632 for the first patient, $5,922 for the second patient, and $132,124 for the third patient, who has not been transplanted. Although the number of patients is small, the daily hospitalization cost was higher before the Novacor L...Continue Reading

Citations

Oct 20, 2001·Science and Engineering Ethics·Katrina A Bramstedt
Mar 27, 2001·The Annals of Thoracic Surgery·P M Portner
Sep 4, 1999·The Annals of Thoracic Surgery·Y NoséH Schima
Jul 16, 2009·Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia·Harish RamakrishnaFrancisco A Arabia
Feb 23, 1999·Artificial Organs·F A ArabiaD Duveau
Feb 6, 2008·Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy·Julia HutchinsonJill L Colquitt

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