One In Five Fewer Heart Attacks: Impact, Savings, And Sustainability In San Diego County Collaborative

Abstract

Before 2011 rates of hospitalization for heart attacks were about the same in San Diego County as they were in the rest of California. In 2011 a multistakeholder population health collaborative consisting of partners at the federal, state, and local levels launched Be There San Diego. The collaborative's goal was to reduce cardiovascular events through the spread of best practices aimed at improving control of hypertension, lipid levels, and blood sugar and through patient and medical community activation. Using hospital discharge data for the period 2007-16, we compared acute myocardial infarction (AMI) hospitalization rates in San Diego County and the rest of the state before and after the demonstration project started. AMI hospitalization rates decreased by 22 percent in San Diego County versus 8 percent in the rest of the state, with an estimated 3,826 AMI hospitalizations avoided and $86 million in savings in San Diego. Results show that a science-based health collaborative can improve outcomes while lowering costs, and efforts are under way to ensure the collaborative's sustainability.

Allen Fremont’s Contributions to Health Equity

“…One of his last efforts was to develop an award-winning population health collaborative in San Diego that facilitated data sharing and analyses of diabetes and CVD quality. This led to substantial reductions in acute myocardial infarction hospitalizations compared with the rest of California (22% vs. 8% in its first 6 y) 4…”

“…This led to substantial reductions in acute myocardial infarction hospitalizations compared with the rest of California (22% vs. 8% in its first 6 y). 4 Allen made patients and colleagues feel valued and heard. He was a generous mentor to me and countless other students, physicians, and researchers who carry on his legacy through work to promote health equity.…”