Postoperative cardiac care: Models and economic considerations

Advances in surgical and anesthetic technique for cardiac surgical patients have prompted some to question the need for postoperative intensive care. In the current healthcare environment, there is increasing influence over t reatment decisions by third-party payers and government funding agencies. C are provision is increasingly being scrutinized as to process, outcomes, an d costs. This article examines the process of care for cardiac surgical patients and provides a decision-making model aimed at defining the process of quality care, achieving best outcomes, and minimizing cost. Different care models a re analyzed and compared, using a cost simulator.