Education and Research – Essential to Our Mission at CHI Health
Did you know education and research is an essential part of our mission at CHI Health? Every day, our healing ministries try to provide healthcare that is supported by education and research.
In fact, clinical research is part of the delivery of the health care day in and day out at the hospitals and clinics within CHI Health. Many of the same patients who benefit from the knowledge gained from clinical research are being seen and treated for ailments and conditions for which research seeks answers.
For instance, a national cardiology study that was available through CHI Health sites in Lincoln and Omaha hypothesized that better patient outcomes would result by removing copays from the cost of antiplatelet drugs given after acute coronary syndromes (ACS) like heart attack and unstable angina.
What Did the Research Show?
At the conclusion of the study, some improvements in drug usage where seen when costs were removed. However, the study found that 28 percent of patients did not cash a voucher which would eliminate the copays on the cost of antiplatelet drugs they were prescribed. In the end, financial cost was not as much of a disincentive as was originally thought. (reference Medscape article “Cutting Antiplatelet Costs in ACS Improves Therapy, Not Outcomes” 3/23/18 by Sue Hughes)
Potential Barriers Following Research
Based on the results of this research, physician and providers CHI Health can now begin to look at other potential barriers to patients following prescribed treatments for life-saving therapies. These other barriers could include complexity of the treatment, educational level of the patient, socioeconomic status and/or other factors. By one day understanding what these barriers might be, CHI Health can begin to eliminate obstacles and deliver healthcare that results in a high quality patient experience at the greatest value.
The reasons for clinical research can vary, but in the end, advancing the knowledge of the health delivery today for those in the future is fundamental to creating healthier communities.
Search our open clinical trials here.
These blogs were written by the CHI Health Research team.
