Option Care Home Infusion Hemophilia Patients Use Less Factor VIII, Study Shows Cost Savings Without Affecting Outcomes
By: Option Care
July 26, 2016
ORLANDO, FL, July 26, 2016 — Hemophilia patients can be managed with less factor VIII without affecting outcomes and saving significant costs, suggests a study being presented at the World Federation of Hemophilia 2016 World Congress meeting today in Orlando.
The Option Care study included 77 hemophilia A patients receiving home infusion of factor VIII. They received an average of 102 units of factor VIII per week, vs. the national average of 108 units per week, translating into a cost savings of $21,165 per patient each year. The annual bleed rate (ABR) — the number of bleeds a patient experiences a year — for these patients was 1.7, less than the average ABR which ranges from 2 to 5, according to a recent review of research on hemophilia treatment strategies.
“By working with prescribers to closely monitor bleeds and collaborate on clinically appropriate optimization of treatment dose, Option Care’s utilization of factor VIII is less than the average with excellent outcomes,” said Joan Couden, national program director for Option Care’s Bleeding Disorders Program. “Our findings show we can save payers, including Medicare, Medicaid and managed care insurers, significant costs without negatively impacting annual bleed rates.”
People with hemophilia are missing blood clotting proteins that control bleeding. Treatment involves infusion of factor VIII, which helps blood clot and stops the bleeding. Many people with the condition receive factor VIII three to four times a week to prevent or reduce bleeding. Treatment success is evaluated by assessing the ABR. The fewer the bleeds, the more successful the treatment.
In addition to providing factor VIII to prevent bleeds, when bleeding does occur it’s vital to treat bleeds as quickly as possible to help reduce pain and damage to the joints, muscles and organs. When bleeding is treated quickly, less blood product is needed to stop the bleeding, Couden said.
Currently, clotting factor is paid on a per unit basis, which gives a financial incentive to provide more product, even though that doesn’t translate into better care, she said. Payers may want to consider different reimbursement strategies to reduce the incentive to dispense more factor VIII, she notes.
Patient and provider support and education are key components of Option Care’s Bleeding Disorders (BD) Home Infusion Plus program, which follows a multidisciplinary team approach to care. The program features personalized clinical care that is anchored by a dedicated BD- certified nurse and pharmacist. Each patient receives a disease-specific customized care plan that is focused solely on meeting the needs of the patient and his or her care team. Physicians and healthcare providers are provided detailed reports of each patient’s status, including location and severity of bleeding, treatment outcomes and adherence.
About Option Care
Option Care Enterprises, Inc. (Option Care) is one of the nation’s largest and most trusted providers of home and alternate treatment site infusion services. An industry leader, the company draws on nearly 40 years of clinical care experience to offer patient-centered therapy management. Option Care’s signature Home Infusion Plus services include the clinical management of infusion medicines, nursing support and care coordination. Option Care’s multidisciplinary team of more than 1,800 clinicians — including pharmacists, nurses and dietitians — are able to provide home infusion service coverage for nearly all patients across the United States needing treatment for complex and chronic conditions. Learn more at www.OptionCare.com.
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