Clinical Indicators For Heart Failure

Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition in which the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood through to meet the body 's needs for blood and oxygen. Basically, the heart can 't keep up with its workload. American Heart Association Statistics (2016) reveals that heart failure accounts for 36% of cardiovascular disease deaths. Projections report a 46% increase in the prevalence of Heart Failure (HF) by 2030 by affecting over 8 million people above 18 years with the disease. Healthy People 2020 goals are focused on attaining high quality longer lives free of preventable diseases, promotion of quality of life, healthy development and healthy behaviors across all stages of life (Healthy People 2020, 2015).

In the UK, reports show that heart failure has been affecting up to 2% of the population, over 900,000 people are living with heart failure, with 63,000 new cases being diagnosed each year (BHF, 2015). It costs the NHS £625 million per year, as a result of the high portion of emergency admissions, readmission and long length of inpatient stay (NHS Improvement, 2010). DH (2000) confirmed that Heart failure accounts for all cardiac admissions and the readmission rate can be as high as 50% within 3 months; also, it further estimated 50% readmission might be preventable. Unfortunately, Heart Failure can’t be cured, but early

Providing patients diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure effective teaching can eliminate reoccurring hospitalizations. Patients are discharged with CHF and readmitted within 30 days. The information provided will examine the process of enhancing patient knowledge and provide additional resources essential for effective health care management. Research evidence provides data that proves patients who are diagnosed with CHF needs a variety of health care needs during admission and after discharge. The proposal will display an evaluation plan, implementation plan and a dissemination of the

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) core measures in relation to Heart Failure (HF) was examined using empirical-based nursing research. Findings suggest that lack of understanding by nurses contributes significantly to the privation of core measure implementation. A significant number of Americans suffer from HF, so patient quality of care assessment was necessitated. Identifying factors were: nurse-patient education resulting in follow-up appointments, left ventricular performance or left ventricular systolic (LVS) function, treatment medications, and smoking cessation programs. Nurses provide an important role in the education of patients with HF. The Nurse is integral in providing documentation in relation to LVS. Nurses play an important role in the administration of HF medication. Smoking, a major cause of HF, requires special nursing intervention. Nursing results in improved quality of care if HF core measures are implemented properly. Additionally, Orem’s universal requisites are fundamental in the nursing process.

This article sought to find an appropriate model to predict the risk of unplanned heart failure readmissions. The primary outcome from chart reviews also included death of heart failure patients within 30 days of discharge. The study looked at Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) models and the LACE+ index, to mention two of many

Evaluation is the final and often the most critical step in evidence based research and practice. Evaluation of evidence based practice follows a pathway beginning with the selection of the area for improvement, synthesizing the research into a process improvement activity and evaluating both the implementation of the process improvement as well and the outcomes of the intervention (Titler, 2008). To measure the results of process change in the management of heart failure patients a retrospective analysis will be conducted comparing the readmission rates of a pilot and control population over a 6-month period. The pilot population will be evaluated with the LACE index readmission risk assessment upon admission and subsequently receive the recommended interventions based on the risk stratification. In comparison, the control group will receive the current process of telephonic contact only. The pilot group will include patients over the age of 18 residing in zip-codes 45402 and 45403,

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) patients and their consistent trending of hospital re-admissions continue to threaten quality care and patient quality of life. Considered a chronic condition, CHF is diagnosed in approximately 13% of patients 85 or older (Clarke, Shah & Sharma, 2011). Re-admissions have become so prevalent among the CHF populations, that Centers for Medicare has initiated a quality campaign and offers incentives when hospitals implement telemedicine programs and show reduction in CHF hospital admissions. In relation to CHF, Conway, Inglis, and Clark (2014) states that, “Telemedicine involves transmission of physiological data, such as weight, … from the measuring device to a central server via telephonic, satellite,

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there are an estimated 5.1 million adults suffering from heart failure (2013). As the prevalence of heart failure continues to rise, one out of every nine deaths occur as a result of this chronic condition. Studies conducted at Yale found in Medicare age patients with heart failure, there is a median 30-day mortality rate of 11.1% and 5-year rate of approximately 50% (Alspach, 2014). According to Desai & Stevenson (2012), rising costs of care are in direct correlation to the number of hospital admissions related to a primary diagnosis of heart failure especially among adults age 65 years or older. The national rate for readmissions within 30 days is approximately 24.7%, consequently having

A resident at the time saw that although there is a hearty amount of evidence that illustrates that adhering to heart failure guidelines decreases the rate of mortality and morbidity, nationally there is modest adherence to heart failure practice guidelines. Doctors have voiced a multitude of reasons to this poor participation including but not limited to time constraints in a visit, inertia of patterns in practice, lack of awareness and lack of acceptance are a few. This new web-based tool, the “Smart” Heart failure sheet is designed to help connect previously compartmentalized information. It seeks to link guidelines to their patients’ clinical and laboratory characteristics and systematize adherence to heart failure guidelines. It accomplishes this by uploading pertinent patient-specific data, including laboratory and imaging results, procedure reports and relevant medications. Additionally it also provides tools, such as a flow chart for diuretic dosage and weights. Overall this tool is useful to help physicians identify patients who may benefit from a treatment. From there it provides support tools that alert the physician to a personalized medical treatment. The “Smart” Heart Failure Sheet acts as a registry for scholarly research and also provides educational resources to expand providers’ knowledge, thereby improving patient care (Battaglia,

Approximately 5.3 million Americans have heart failure and account for more hospital admissions than any other diagnosis in patients over 65

Congestive heart failure is a chronic condition that is responsible for the highest number of hospitalizations among adults. Readmission rates after hospitalization also remain high, with 50% of patients being readmitted within 6 months of discharge. (Desai & Stevenson, 2012). The Affordable Care Act penalizes hospitals with readmissions within 30 days after discharge, making readmissions a focus of hospitals nationwide. Several factors including discharge planning, patient education, diet restrictions, and early follow up appointments can help to reduce readmissions, but continuous monitoring is necessary to catch early signs of decompensation. (Desai & Stevenson, 2012).

Almost every one in the United States knows a person suffering from congestive heart failure. This disease has manifested its way into the lives of so many—the statistics are astounding. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, nearly 5 million people are affected and it is the main reason for hospital admission in older adults over the age of 65. This is a great cause for concern. In order to reduce the morbidity and control this epidemic, we must first understand the risks and causes of this condition. It is of the upmost importance to first understand the risks and causes of this condition. Education plays a key role in order to recognize the clinical manifestations and necessary actions to best treat

Heart failure is a serious medical condition that is brought by the failure of the heart to pump sufficient blood throughout the body at the right pressure. Generally, this condition is a progressive and chronic disease in which the heart muscle is incapable to pump adequate blood for all blood and oxygen needs of the body. Since the heart cannot keep up with its workload under this condition, it attempts to make up for the failure through enlarging, developing more muscle mass, and pumping faster. Enlarging involves stretching the heart chamber more in order to pump more blood while developing more muscle mass occurs because of increase in size of the contracting cells and pumping faster helps to enhance the heart’s output (“About Heart Failure”, n.d.). As a major health problem, potential solutions for heart failure is a nursing focused plan that incorporates identifying nursing goals, monitoring the patient, and specific nursing interventions.

Many factors can have a robust effect on how healthcare is standardized, such as heart failure (HF). HF, a chronic illness, results when the heart is unable to pump the required amount of blood to meet the body demands (Centers for disease and control and prevention [CDC], 2016). HF is prevalent in 5.7 million adults in the United States (US) and financially impact the nation in cost estimating at 30.7 billion dollars a year (CDC, 2016). HF is the most expensive diagnosis and common source of hospitalization among individuals 65 and older (McClintock et al., 2014). In addition, if adequate discharge planning is not provided, it may result in hospital readmissions which will economically affect the reimbursement rate from healthcare payors.

A great amount of time, money and resource is devoted to improving the transition to home from hospital in the heart failure patient (Qaddoura, Ashoori, Kabali, Thabane, Haynes, Connolly & Spall, 2015). With extensive research available on heart failure and readmission, this study will focus on four main categories. This four category approach allows the clinician to best formulate and prepare for practice in the outpatient setting. The four categories will include various articles based upon evidenced based practice approaches with ultimate goal of reducing admission by implementing successful outpatient care. The four categories are as follows: Frequent monitoring or reporting to the PCP; Medication and Diet compliance; Predictors of