UVA neurologist investigates Medicare policy effects on stroke patients
· News-MedicalAfter identifying significant differences in stroke care and outcomes for patients on different Medicare plans, a UVA Health doctor is launching an ambitious effort to better understand the sources of those differences and ensure patients get the best care possible.
Medicare's role in stroke care
Stroke is the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States, and a major cause of long-term disability. Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer strokes every year.
Ultimately, outcomes were similar for patients on both traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. But the journey to that shared destination often looked very different for the two groups, Crowe and his collaborators found.
Next steps
Crowe has received a $231,000, three-year Career Development Award from the American Heart Association that will allow him to further explore the stroke care Medicare patients receive and to fill important knowledge gaps, particularly about Medicare Advantage. For example, he will analyze more than 12.5 million Medicare claims and examine American Heart Association data to look at whether Advantage patients are receiving clot-dissolving thrombolysis and/or manual clot removal, known as mechanical thombectomy. He will also look at factors such as in-hospital mortality and where patients go after discharge. Finally, he will interview stroke survivors and caregivers to identify barriers to best-practice stroke care.
Crowe hopes his work will ultimately answer important questions such as whether Medicare Advantage patients are receiving less stroke rehabilitation than patients on traditional Medicare. This type of information, he says, is key to informing federal policy discussions that will shape future stroke care for Medicare recipients.
"Our hope is that we can use this information to improve stroke outcomes and stroke care across the United States," Crowe said. "We believe that this is an important opportunity for research to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and their families."
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