Health economic consequences of changes in the organisation of acute care pathways

The advances in patient care pathways can for example be seen in the emergency medical system, where prehospital nurses use advanced methods for assessment and conveyance of patients to alternative healthcare providers. At the same time, the National system for knowledge management (Nationellt system för kunskapsstyrning) in Sweden are developing and implementing person-centred and coordinated care pathways for different disease groups with the purpose to improve healthcare and patient outcomes. 

Aim of the project

The overall research aim of the project is to investigate the impact of changes in the organisation of acute care pathways on healthcare resource use and health outcomes. The project is divided into two different focus areas where one target older individuals in need of acute healthcare and their possibilities to get prehospital assessment for direct treatment at geriatric units. The other is planned to focus on the implementation of a person-centred and coordinated care pathway for sepsis and the health economic consequences it entails.

Results in brief

Results for the first sub-study, Healthcare pathways and resource use: mapping consequences of ambulance assessment for direct care with alternative healthcare providers, reveals that the majority of patients directly conveyed to geriatric units stay there throughout their entire stay, without changing ward and/or hospital, which supports the favour of the prehospital decision system. However, several patients (14 percent) where denied access to the geriatric units, which will be studied in more detail in sub-study II, where focus will be on geographic variations and determinants for prehospital conveyance to geriatric units. Results are planned for 2022/2023. 

Continued work

This is an ongoing project which is expected to finish in 2024.

Contact person