The following is a summary of “Health System Encounters after Loss to Cardiology Follow-up among Patients with Congenital Heart Disease,” published in the February 2024 issue of Pediatrics by Wright et al.

The objective of this study is to analyze the utilization of healthcare services within a single rural academic health system following the discontinuation of cardiology follow-up among patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). The study, conducted on patients seen in the cardiology clinic during 2018 who subsequently experienced loss to follow-up, defined this as an absence from the clinic for at least 6 months past the most recently recommended follow-up visit. Tracking subsequent visits through 2020, encompassing other subspecialty clinics, primary care clinics, the emergency department (ED), and hospitalizations, revealed that of the 235 patients involved (median age 7 years, 136 females, 99 males), 41% (96 patients) sought care elsewhere within the health system. Among those with any follow-up, 40 were seen by primary care providers, 46 by other specialists, 44 in the ED, and 12 were hospitalized. 

Notably, patients with medical comorbidities or Medicaid insurance and those residing closer to the clinic were more inclined to continue receiving care within the same health system. The study underscores the common occurrence of patients with CHD being lost to cardiology follow-up, emphasizing the necessity for collaborative efforts across specialties and between cardiology clinics and affiliated EDs to identify and reach out to these individuals within the health system. 

The findings suggest that a strategic blend of in-person and remote outreach initiatives encourage and facilitate continued cardiology care for these patients.

 Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022347624000349