PUBLICATIONS
Avina Health has partnered with the University of Southern California's Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics to independently evaluate the effectiveness of its programs. Below are the peer-reviewed publications showing the impact of the Avina Transitions of Care (TOC) program on hospital readmissions and healthcare costs.
1. Impact of a pharmacy based transitional care program on hospital readmissions.
Ni W, Colayco D, Hashimoto J, Komoto K, Gowda C, Wearda B, McCombs J.
Am J Manag Care. 2017 Mar;23(3):170-176.
Avina Health implemented a TOC program for members of a managed Medicaid health plan who were at high risk for readmissions. This study compared outcomes of the recipients of Avina Health's TOC program with a matched sample of health plan members who received usual discharge care. After controlling for demographics and clinical characteristics, the analysis found that the Avina Health TOC program reduced the risk of 30-day readmissions by 28% and reduced the risk of 180-day readmissions by 32% compared with usual discharge care.
2. Budget Impact Analysis of a Pharmacist Provided Transition of Care Program.
Ni W, Colayco D, Hashimoto J, Komoto K, Gowda C, Wearda B, McCombs J.
J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2018 Feb;24(2):90-96.
A budget impact analysis was conducted from the payer perspective to estimate the effect of adding the Avina TOC program to a medical benefit over a 2-year time horizon. Model inputs were based on a health plan of 240,000 lives, of whom 7.5% of members were considered high-risk for hospital readmissions. Previous analyses had demonstrated that the Avina TOC program reduced the risk of 180-day readmission by 32% and saved the health plan $2,139 per member referred, inclusive of program costs. The model showed that the TOC program was cost-saving at $3 per member per month in the first 6 months, which was projected to save the health plan for $25 million in total healthcare costs by the end of 2 years.
3. Reduction of healthcare costs through a transitions of care program.
Ni W, Colayco D, Hashimoto J, Komoto K, Gowda C, Wearda B, McCombs J.
Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2018 May 15;75(10):613-621.
A non-randomized, observational cohort study was conducted to compare healthcare costs of patients referred to the Avina TOC program to a control group receiving usual discharge care. All patients were members of the same managed Medicaid health plan. At 180 days after discharge, average healthcare costs per patient referred were $2,139 lower in the Avina TOC group compared with the control group receiving usual discharge care.
4. Impact of Adding Pharmacists and Comprehensive Medication Management to a Medical
Group's Transition of Care Services.
Xuan S, Colayco D, Hashimoto J, Barca J, Dekivadia D, Padula W, McCombs J.
Med Care. 2021 Jun 1;59(6):519-527.
Avina Health implemented a TOC program for hospitalized patients at an at-risk medical group. The Avina TOC program reduced 30-day readmissions by 34.9% and reduced 180-day readmissions by 33.4%. In an interrupted time series model, the 30-day readmission rate remained stable before implementation of the program. After implementation, the readmission rate decreased by 1.5% per month. For 180-day readmissions, risk decreased by 1% each month after program implementation.