ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine if a Transprofessional care-management approach (experimental group) produces savings in service delivery dollars when compared to a Traditional treatment approach (control group). The care-management approach utilizes an interdisciplinary mix of allied health professionals who adhere to a service delivery protocol based on active, medical, surgical treatment (curative services) as well as on pain, symptoms, and emotional care (palliative services).
Data Sources and Study Setting: Data were collected from 549 AIDS patients admitted for medical/surgical home-care services to 56the Visiting Nurse Association of Los Angeles (VNA-LA). Demographic and disease-specific data were collected from admitting records; service-utilization data were collected from the VNA-LA’s computerized data system.
Study Design: Upon admission for home-care services, patients were randomly assigned to an experimental (Transprofessional) or control (Traditional) treatment group. Service levels were comparable.
Principle Findings: Post-test measures indicate an 8 percent reduction in labor delivery costs for an average experimental patient’s entire episode of home-care versus for an average control patient’s.
Conclusions: An integrated model of service delivery, which is based on interdisciplinary, care-management and blended modalities of service, provides a cost-effective method in the provision of home-care services for terminally ill AIDS patients. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Seivice: 1-800-342-9678, E-mail address: getinfo@hawoi-thpressinc.com ]
