How specialist nurse-led care can help to lower the costs of prophylaxis

Prophylaxis with factor VIII concentrates is beneficial for adults with severe haemophilia A, but prophylaxis regimens are costly. Guidelines recommend personalised prophylaxis tailored to bleeding phenotype and the result of pharmacokinetic assessments. This article describes a project in which specialist nurses played a pivotal role in identifying a small cohort of patients eligible for dose reduction. Nurses monitored patients following dose reduction, maintaining contact in order to address fears and ensure patient safety. The project led to a substantial cost saving for the Trust and demonstrates the value that nurses can bring to the haemophilia centre.