WOONSOCKET, R.I., May 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study by
the CVS Health Research Institute found that home infusion care is
safe, clinically effective and improves quality of life while
reducing health care costs when compared to infusion care delivered
in a hospital or clinic. The findings underscore the value of home
infusion services – where medication is delivered intravenously in
a patient's home – for the health care system, including patients
and payers. The study was published in Healthcare: The Journal
of Delivery Science and Innovation.
"As the U.S. health care payment system shifts from volume to
value, we are focused on identifying new approaches to health
service delivery that provide better care and improve patient
outcomes while lowering costs," said Troyen A. Brennan, MD, study
author and Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health. "Our research shows
that home infusion care is a promising model that is both cost- and
clinically-effective and is overwhelmingly preferred by patients
when intravenous therapy is required."
Researchers conducted a systematic review of existing
peer-reviewed research evaluating infusion care for several
conditions, including cystic fibrosis, antibiotics following
orthopedic surgery and several cancers requiring infused
chemotherapies. Researchers compared measures of quality, safety,
clinical outcomes, quality of life and costs of home infusion
services to those provided in medical settings. The research showed
that patients receiving intravenous therapy at home had as good or
better clinical outcomes as those patients who received the same
therapy in a traditional health care setting. In addition, patients
overwhelmingly preferred receiving their infusion therapies at
home, reporting fewer disruptions in personal schedules and
responsibilities. The costs associated with home infusion were also
consistently lower than services provided in a health care
facility, with savings ranging between $1,928 and $2,974 per course of
treatment.
"At CVS Health, we provide important home infusion services to
patients through Coram, which is just one of the ways we are
expanding our clinical delivery model and helping to move important
health services to lower cost sites of care," added Alan Lotvin, MD, Executive Vice President, CVS
Specialty. "In fact, our patients report high satisfaction with our
Coram home infusion services, citing convenience and comfort as key
elements that improved their overall experience."
Home infusion services are a rapidly growing delivery model in
the health care system with rising rates of chronic and acute
conditions that require intravenous therapy. Despite this, clinical
outcomes and quality of care have not previously been
systematically evaluated. While many commercial health plans
provide comprehensive coverage for home infusion services, Medicare
has limited reimbursement for this type of care, and Congress is
discussing how to implement a comprehensive home infusion benefit
for Medicare beneficiaries.
Coram, a service provided by CVS Health, provides vital infusion
care and support to tens of thousands of Americans each month with
a range of conditions including immune deficiencies, rheumatoid
arthritis and serious infections requiring intravenous antibiotic
therapy. Care is administered by experienced infusion nurses and
pharmacists, and in addition, patients receive additional disease
management education and support throughout their
treatment.
The CVS Health Research Institute is focused on contributing to
the body of scientific knowledge related to pharmacy and health
care through research collaborations with external academic
institutions, participation in federally-funded research, analysis
and sharing of CVS Health data sources and coordination of pilot
programs and initiatives. CVS Health Research Institute findings
support a continuous quality improvement environment, which
encourages product innovation and development to benefit CVS Health
patients, clients and their members.
About CVS Health
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) is a pharmacy innovation company helping
people on their path to better health. Through its more than 9,600
retail pharmacies, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a
leading pharmacy benefits manager with nearly 80 million plan
members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more
than one million patients per year, and expanding specialty
pharmacy services, the Company enables people, businesses and
communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways.
This unique integrated model increases access to quality care,
delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care
costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the
future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.
Media
Contacts:
|
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Christine
Cramer
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Christina
Beckerman
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CVS
Health
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CVS Health
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(401)
770-3317
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(401)
770-8868
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christine.cramer@cvshealth.com
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christina.beckerman@cvshealth.com
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SOURCE CVS Health