Non-detected FH patients have an increased chance of early death
Approximately 70,000 people in the Netherlands have hereditary increased cholesterol, also known as familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Left untreated, they have about 50% chance of developing a cardiovascular disease. In Western countries, FH is a significant cause of early death. However, this does not have to be the case: there is an effective treatment for FH available. Through population screening, around 30,000 FH patients have now been identified, and they can be properly treated. This still leaves 40,000 people in the Netherlands who are not aware that they have FH. This means they have an increased chance of early death, which constitutes an incomprehensible and unnecessary loss of human lives.
In the Netherlands, the LEEFH Foundation is committed to finding these FH patients, for example through a national network of 15 regional centres. They asked Vintura to help them improve their cooperation with the regional centres in order to trace as many FH patients as possible.
Power of partnership in regional centres
The LEEFH Foundation consulted with various hospitals and industry. We used brainstorming sessions and interviews to identify the core activities of the regional centres. The main aspects included awareness, referral, detection and treatment. We identified best practices and facilitated mutual knowledge exchange. The centres also explicitly expressed their expectations of the LEEFH Foundation.
Save more FH patients together
The result: The Foundation and the regional centres have started working together more closely, and with greater effectiveness. Mutual knowledge exchanges allows the centres to detect FH patients more successfully. In addition, the LEEFH Foundation can better support the centres through clear mutual expectations. Vintura is proud of the Foundation’s work, and its efforts to find FH patients and thus save precious lives.
