Sustaining Regional Cardiovascular Care in an Aging Society through Inter-Hospital Collaboration

Objectives: In Japan’s rapidly aging society, sustaining regional cardiovascular care requires both reinforcement of the medical workforce and improvement of hospital financial performance through inter-hospital collaboration. We assessed the impact of a collaborative care model implemented between a university hospital and a regional hospital.

Materials and Methods: At our institution, a collaborative system was established in which cardiovascular surgeons from a neighboring university hospital conducted postoperative rounds at our hospital. We retrospectively assessed the effects of this collaboration on bed turnover efficiency at both institutions and on the length of hospital stay for patients undergoing cardiac and major vascular surgery.

Results: Postoperative rounds at our hospital were initiated in October 2024. The number of patients referred to our hospital for postoperative cardiac rehabilitation increased to 140–150% in fiscal years 2024 and 2025 compared with fiscal year 2023. The mean duration from surgery to discharge from our hospital was significantly reduced from 36 days to 29 days (P < 0.05). In addition, an increase in cardiovascular surgical volume at the university hospital resulted in some restrictions on thoracic surgery operating capacity. Consequently, several thoracic surgical cases were referred to and performed at our hospital, leading to a 65% year-on-year increase in thoracic surgery cases in 2025.

Conclusion: This inter-hospital collaboration model was beneficial not only in improving patient care but also in sustaining regional healthcare from a hospital management perspective.