Heart Analytics: Analytical Modeling of Cardiovascular Care

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death and disability both in the United States and worldwide. Despite high morbidity, mortality, and cost in the US and global healthcare systems, cardiovascular care has been under-studied in the healthcare operations management literature. In this paper, we identify research opportunities for healthcare operations management scholars to aid in improving cardiovascular care. We focus on three burdensome conditions, including (1) coronary artery disease, (2) stroke, and (3) heart failure, which, collectively, lead to the vast majority of CVD-caused mortality and disability. For each condition, we characterize a typical patient’s journey in receiving cardiovascular care, elucidating key challenges in improving care and outlining research questions for healthcare operations management scholars. We close with a reference to new research opportunities that emerge as artificial intelligence is likely to transform much of cardiovascular care.