Blog: CRISP

Blog: CRISP – Cardiovascular Research Innovation and Sustainability Platform

Sustainable cardiovascular health at low cost

Current situation. Healthcare is faced with spiraling costs, which do not necessarily translate in increases in Healthy Life Years. For instance, the Netherlands invests almost 13% of GDP in Healthcare, but sees a lower than average return of Health Life Years compared to other European countries. A critical factor in healthcare quality and delivery is the disconnection between traditional healthcare institutions and public health. In addition, there is insufficient collaboration between primary and secondary healthcare institutions, resulting in suboptimal patient care and value, also in cardiovascular care.

CRISP. To address these challenges, we designed CRISP, for Cardiovascular Research Innovation and Sustainability Platform. CRISP is a unique joint project between Cardiology Centre Utrecht and a foundation of 13 general practitioners (GP) delivering primary care to 35.000 citizens in the city of Utrecht (“Utrecht Oost Gezond”).

Figure CRISPCRISP in action. CRISP starts with an online test in the public health domain, and via a stepped care approach ultimately ends with coronary intervention. The latter is only for those who scored orange or red in all sequential steps. Close to 1000 inhabitants have filled out the online test in the pilot phase.

Prevention of waste. CRISP integrates cardiovascular care to avoid unnecessary use of expensive healthcare to low risk individuals, and identifies high risk individuals to provide them with timely measures to prevent cardiac disaster. In addition, CRISP links public health and general healthcare, which results in better alignment of resources and improved patient value at lower cost.