Center for Medical Technology Policy Awarded Grant from Edwards Lifesciences Foundation to Accelerate Adoption of Surgical Recovery Protocols in U.S. Hospitals

BALTIMORE, Dec. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Edwards Lifesciences Foundation has awarded the Center for Medical Technology Policy, Inc. (CMTP), in collaboration with Avalere Health, a grant to develop and lead a multi-stakeholder partnership to improve the adoption of enhanced recovery protocols (ERPs) and reduce mortality and morbidity of surgical patients in the U.S.

This multi-stakeholder partnership will include representatives from healthcare delivery systems, researchers, payers, patient advocacy groups, professional societies, medical technology providers, and other healthcare professionals. The partnership will create a forum for ongoing dialogue and facilitate collaborative work to improve and accelerate the adoption of ERPs that have been proven to improve post-surgical outcomes. 

Surgical complications are a common occurrence in the U.S. Among the approximately 30 million operations performed annually, a large proportion of surgical patients have undesirable – and in many cases, preventable – levels of morbidity, mortality, and extended hospitalizations. Approximately 25 percent of patients who undergo inpatient surgery in the U.S. have post-surgical complications, and the rate can be even higher for major surgeries.

"While experts agree that these protocol-driven approaches to surgical care can reduce the amount of post-surgical complications, such a widespread change in healthcare delivery will be challenging to implement consistently and quickly," said Sean Tunis, CEO of CMTP.  "A neutral, collaborative partnership can help to overcome the organizational roadblocks that impede progress towards implementation, and we are grateful to the Edwards Lifesciences Foundation for its support of this important work for patients."

"Edwards Lifesciences Foundation is committed to supporting programs that advance healthcare, particularly in underserved patients. We embrace the unique opportunity to bring key healthcare players together to accelerate efforts that may significantly improve post-surgical patient outcomes," said Amanda C. Fowler, Executive Director of the Edwards Lifesciences Foundation. "Given the significant burden of preventable post-surgical outcomes affecting many patients and their families every day, these solutions can become a powerful tool in helping more patients recovery faster and return to their lives."

CMTP will be collaborating with Avalere Health to support the establishment and official launch of the new partnership in early 2015.

Background
In June of 2014, CMTP convened a group of leaders representing surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, patients, health system administrators, payers, quality organizations, researchers, and medical technology providers to discuss potential strategies and programs that could significantly improve outcomes for patients undergoing major surgery. Leaders shared lessons learned from implementing enhanced recovery programs at their own institutions. The group discussed the potential barriers to accelerating adoption of such programs and brainstormed potential strategies to overcome barriers. Ultimately, the group recommended that an ongoing, neutral forum would help accelerate the adoption of ERPs in the U.S.

"Similar protocols have been adopted in England with great success, and have led to significant reductions in patient complications and cost," said Professor Monty Mythen from the University College London Hospitals, who shared insights from the Enhanced Recovery Programme of the National Health Service (NHS).

In October, CMTP released a white paper summarizing insights from the June meeting entitled "A Multi-stakeholder Agenda to Advance Enhanced Recovery for U.S. Surgical Patients."

About CMTP
CMTP is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that aims to make health care more effective and affordable by improving the quality, relevance, and efficiency of health care research. We focus on the design and implementation of comparative effectiveness research to produce information that helps patients, clinicians, and payers make informed treatment and policy decisions. CMTP provides a trusted forum in which a broad range of stakeholders can collaborate to identify important research questions, design appropriate studies, and develop innovative partnerships to implement these studies.  Visit www.cmtpnet.org for more information.

About Edwards Lifesciences and Edwards Lifesciences Foundation
Edwards Lifesciences is the global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring. Driven by a passion to help patients, the company partners with clinicians to develop innovative technologies in the areas of structural heart disease and critical care monitoring, enabling them to save and enhance lives. In 2004, the company established what is now Edwards Lifesciences Foundation to support advancements in knowledge and improvements in quality-of-life. The foundation focuses on supporting underserved heart valve and critically ill patients, as well as strengthening the communities in which Edwards employees live and work. Additional information about the company and its foundation can be found at www.edwards.com.

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SOURCE Center for Medical Technology Policy

Related Links

www.cmtpnet.org