A community-based disease management program for postmyocardial infarction reduces hospital readmissions compared with usual care

Abstract

Question Do community-based disease management programs for patients recovering from myocardial infarction reduce hospital readmissions compared with usual care? Study design Randomized controlled trial. Main results Disease management programme-based care (DMP) significantly reduced hospital re-admission days compared with usual care in patients recovering from myocardial infarction (number of readmission days for angina, congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease per follow-up days: 114 30,823 with DMP vs. 200 34,021 with usual care; incidence density ratio ∗ ∗ An incidence density ratio of >1.0 indicates that the DMP had a protective effect compared with usual care. (IDR): 1.59, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.00; P<0.001; number of all-cause hospital readmission days: 483 30,823 with DMP vs. 814 34,021 with usual care; IDR: 1.53, 95% CI 1.37 to 1.71; P<0.001). There was no significant difference in mortality after discharge between groups (8 with DMP vs. 11 with usual care; P>0.05). Authors’ Conclusions A community-based disease management program successfully reduced hospitalisation days for patients recovering from myocardial infarction compared with usual care.