{"id":4672,"date":"2018-10-30T15:34:01","date_gmt":"2018-10-30T20:34:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=4672"},"modified":"2022-04-22T14:09:46","modified_gmt":"2022-04-22T19:09:46","slug":"keeping-heart-failure-patients-out-of-the-hospital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/keeping-heart-failure-patients-out-of-the-hospital\/","title":{"rendered":"Keeping heart failure patients out of the hospital"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nationwide, death and re-hospitalization rates remain high among people with heart failure who have transitioned from in-patient to out-patient care. As a result, OSF HealthCare has made it a priority to reduce its own mortality and readmission rates among this population using innovative methods and collaborative thinking.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe developed a Ministry-wide, multidisciplinary council to track this work and figure out where we should focus,\u201d said Marlene Hunteman, Director of the Cardiovascular Service Line<\/a> for OSF HealthCare. \u201cWe decided early on that any solutions developed had to impact all levels and entities of care. But first, we needed to start with in-patient care.\u201d<\/p>\n

Research among our cardiovascular teams found a variety of ways the health care system could help prevent patients from returning to the hospital or worsening of their condition. This includes early follow-up with patients after they are discharged from in-patient care and making sure individuals have an appointment set up before they leave the hospital. Other solutions include making sure patients have the appropriate medications to treat their heart failure and ensuring they have access to supportive care services.<\/p>\n

The next step was to come up with ideas to make these solutions a reality. A core team, made up of clinicians, administration and leaders, meets weekly to brainstorm concepts and keep the project moving. The group chose to first tackle how people are transitioned out of the hospital.<\/p>\n

Changing standards of care<\/h2>\n

Evidence shows that every time someone with heart failure returns to the hospital for treatment, their mortality rate increases by 30% due to their condition getting worse. But peer-reviewed literature also shows if patients receive a follow-up appointment with their provider within five days of being discharged from in-patient care, their chance of readmission is greatly reduced. That\u2019s because clinicians can determine whether medications need to be adjusted and assess patients for deterioration.<\/p>\n

To ensure patients receive the follow-up care they need, the council developed two standards of care that all clinicians within the health care system should follow.<\/p>\n