Bausch Health study shows modest gains in cirrhosis care adherence

Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE: BHC) and its gastroenterology unit, Salix Pharmaceuticals, announced results from a six-month multicenter pilot study evaluating a standardized clinical pathway for cirrhosis management, with findings to be presented at the American College of Gastroenterology Annual Scientific Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, running October 9-14, 2026.

The study, conducted across five community gastroenterology practices, included 4,251 patients with cirrhosis and tracked adherence to five key performance indicators over the pilot period.

Results showed incremental improvements across all tracked metrics. Office visit adherence rose from 46.9% to 51.1%, a 9.0% relative improvement. Laboratory monitoring adherence increased from 61.5% to 63.5%, a 3.2% relative gain. Non-selective beta-blocker use among patients with varices grew from 47.2% to 48.8%, up 3.4% relatively. Medication treatment rates for reducing hepatic encephalopathy recurrence increased from 60.2% to 64.9%, a 7.8% relative improvement. Enrollment in chronic care management programs rose from 11.7% to 12.8%, a 9.4% relative gain.

The pathway was developed using contributions from academic and community-based providers and monitored using the Cardinal Health PPS Analytics platform to identify care gaps and track adherence benchmarks.

"These results highlight the value of a clinical pathway in helping providers deliver more consistent, guideline-based care for patients with cirrhosis," said Dr. Peng-Sheng (Brian) Ting, principal investigator of the pilot initiative.

The investigators concluded the standardized pathway was feasible in community practice settings. The findings are considered preliminary until peer-reviewed publication.

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