The benefits of a centralized remote surveillance program for vascular patients

Abstract

ObjectiveWe aimed to assess the clinical and financial utility of a centralized remote surveillance program for vascular patients compared with traditional outpatient follow-up. MethodsIn 2014, the Royal Adelaide Hospital Department of Vascular Surgery introduced a centralized remote surveillance program where suitable patients were monitored by remote imaging in lieu of traditional outpatient appointments (OPAs). Surveillance imaging was performed at a site local to the patient and was reviewed centrally by a dedicated surveillance nurse. We undertook a 5-year retrospective analysis of the program’s prospectively maintained database since its inception. Costs for inpatient admissions and OPAs were retrieved from hospital financial databases. The surveillance database and electronic patient records were analyzed for number and outcome of surveillance scans, interventions, and OPAs. Additional savings in travel distance, fuel costs, and CO2 emissions were also calculated. ResultsOver 5 years, 1262 patients underwent a mean of four scans per patient. A total of 3718 OPAs were saved, approximating 930 hours of clinic and consultant time, with associated savings of Australian (A)$1,524,900 (United States [US]$ 1,065,684) over 5 years (A$ 304,980 [US$ 213,137] per year). For every OPA avoided, each patient saved 197 km travel and A$87 (US$ 61) fuel costs, with an associated 115 kg of CO2 emissions saved. Over 5 years, this equated to savings of 248,173 km travel, A$ 110,136 (US$ 76,969) fuel costs, and 146 tons of CO2 emissions. A total of 134 surveillance-detected pathologies (10.6%) required intervention, a further 28 despite surveillance (2.2%), and three following surveillance cessation (0.2%). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that interventions despite surveillance were three times more expensive and incurred four times longer admissions than those due to surveillance. ConclusionsRemote vascular surveillance, particularly applicable in our current COVID-19 pandemic climate, is associated with quantifiable financial, clinical, patient, and environmental beneficial outcomes and can be safely delivered to populations spanning large geographical areas such as those in Australia.