Effect of post-discharge virtual wards on improving outcomes in heart failure and non-heart failure populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Unplanned hospital admissions in high-risk patients are common and costly in an increasingly frail chronic disease population. Virtual Wards (VW) are an emerging concept to improve outcomes in these patients.

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of post-discharge VWs, as an alternative to usual community based care, on hospital readmissions and mortality among heart failure and non-heart failure populations.

Data sources

Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, SCOPUS and CINAHL, from inception through to Jan 31, 2017; unpublished data, prior systematic reviews; reference lists.

Study selection

Randomized trials of post-discharge VW versus community based, usual care that reported all-cause hospital readmission and mortali

SUBMITTER: Uminski K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5927407 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature