Same-day discharge for AFib ablation a success thanks to telehealth
Same-day discharge (SDD) is an effective treatment option for patients undergoing atrial fibrillation (AFib) ablation, according to new findings presented at Heart Rhythm 2022.
The study’s authors noted that SDD became an appealing treatment strategy for AFib ablation patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. They tracked data from more than 600 patients who underwent AFib ablation from December 2020 to November 2021 at a single large-volume facility in the United States. To be considered for SDD, the case had to be completed by 2 p.m. and patients had to have a companion who could stay with them overnight. A virtual telehealth visit was also required for the next day, and patients were given cardiac monitoring devices to capture important data.
Overall, SDD was successful for 64.2% of intended SDD patients from the study’s first group of AFib ablation patients. The success rate jumped to 84.7% for the study’s second group of patients, suggesting that a SDD strategy can gain momentum as healthcare providers offer it more and more. Patients who were ultimately considered ineligible for AFib ablation tended to be older, have a higher body mass index and a higher CHADs-VASc score.
“The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic opened our eyes to the essential role virtual monitoring can play in patient management,” Lauren A. Rousseau, PAC, CCDS, a physician assistant at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said in a prepared statement from the Heart Rhythm Society. “This notion is particularly important for the electrophysiology field at large, where data can be objectively monitored from the comfort of a patient's home. Our innovative SDD process was a collaborative effort that leverages telemedicine as a way to improve patient experience while maintaining safety, and has the potential to reduce hospital resource utilization.”
Rousseau et al. have already moved to the next phase of their research, focusing on the costs associated with SDD.
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Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.