Business case for a device used in Heart Failure

A Business Case was prepared to support sales activity for a device used in heart failure.  It could be used with commissioners to secure funding for a new service featuring monitoring of patients at home.

It started with an analysis of heart failure admissions to hospital (commissioners would wish to avoid hospitalisation as it implies a poor state of the patient and costs) and prices of admissions.  It went on to describe the benefits of using the device and summarise the trials of the device (without mentioning the device by name).  This included showing the impact on hospitalisation and mortality.  Published cost-effectiveness was also restated so that commissioners would not have to read a separate paper.

As part of the business case, a cost model was constructed so that the investment over 5 years (based on an anticipated number of patients) could be spelled out.  The return on investment (in terms of reduced hospitalisations) was also included so that commissioners could see what was got back for the investment.

Characteristics of patients who qualify was included because commissioners like to see specifically which patients would have the device implanted.

At the end, the device was named.