ACNP-provided care in conjunction with cardiovascular surgeons or cardiologists has also proved to be advantageous for patients and the health care system. Meyer and Miers (2005) conducted a retrospective comparison study in the United States to examine patient and economic outcomes of cardiovascular care delivered by either cardiovascular surgeons alone or cardiovascular surgeons in collaboration with ACNPs. they found that when cardiovascular surgeons directed postoperative care in collaboration with ACNPs, the average length of hospital stay decreased by 1.91 days and average total cost decreased by $5,038.91 (U.S.) per patient, compared to surgeon-only care. Similarly, Broers et al. (2005) evaluated the safety and efficacy of ACNP-led care provided to post-coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients in the Netherlands, compared to care by a medical resident. the investigators found that, although both groups were supervised by an attending cardiologist, ACNP-treated patients were discharged significantly sooner than those treated by medical residents (11.5 versus 14.8 days; p ≤ 0.001). thirty-day mortality did not differ between groups