Office-based care settings provide advantages for care delivery including improved efficiencies, increased patient satisfaction and health care savings
WASHINGTON – In an article recently published in Endovascular Today, “Outpatient CLI Revascularization in the United States” a group of leading endovascular physicians and care providers outline the increasingly important role outpatient care settings have in delivering care to an estimated 18 million Americans living with peripheral artery disease, and more specifically, for at-risk critical limb ischemia (CLI) patients.
According to the article, approximately 160,000 to 180,000 individuals in the US with peripheral artery disease (PAD) will undergo a limb amputation as result of a PAD-related condition this year, despite improvements in technology that allow for the migration of revascularization services from hospitals to same-day interventions at a physician’s office.
The article outlines the benefits of care delivered in office interventional suites (OIS), or office-based labs, including their unique ability to treat very complex cases using the latest innovative technologies through a highly trained team in a timely and safe manner. In this setting, endovascular physicians are using the latest procedures to help address the growing epidemic of PAD and CLI in the United States, and reduce amputations.
Stressing the value of OISs, the authors write, “There are many advantages to this health care delivery model, including more control of procedure scheduling, markedly improved physician efficiency, improved patient and physician satisfaction, a less stressful and confusing environment for the patient, physician ability to control quality, and the potential to save the health care system money.”
OISs are also increasing access to at-risk patients, which is helping to address racial, geographic and socioeconomic disparities that exist among the PAD and CLI patient populations. PAD is more common among African Americans than any other racial or ethnic group, who data show receive fewer vascular screenings and treatments. The availability of treatment in the OIS setting can help curb trends in care disparities, which endovascular care leaders hope result in more limb-saving procedures.
In closing, the authors stress the continued need for collaboration among the vascular care community, including care providers, physicians, patient advocates and manufacturers to advance community-based solutions to bring safe, effective, and appropriate therapies to at-risk PAD and CLI patients, and improve access to high-quality care to underserved populations.
To read the full article in Endovascular Today, click here.