CHI Memorial’s Heart Failure Program is tied for 11th in the country for its 30-day readmission rate, according to data from Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Information was pulled from Hospital Compare and is from July 2012 - June 2015, the most recent data available. CHI Memorial’s 30-day readmission rate is 18.1 percent, below the national average of 21.6 percent.
“We developed the Heart Failure Program with the patient at the center." says Allen Atchley, Jr., M.D., cardiologist, and medical director for CHI Memorial’s Heart Failure Program. “Using evidence-based medicine and guidelines, the program was designed to examine all of the patient’s needs and provide an improved and more comprehensive approach to care."
Heart failure is one of the most common reasons people age 65 and older are admitted to the hospital. Heart failure means the heart isn’t pumping blood the way it should. Symptoms such as shortness of breath, foot and ankle swelling, fatigue or weakness, and exercise intolerance, develop over time as the heart becomes weaker and unable to meet the body’s need for blood and oxygen. AHA statistics show about 50 percent of those diagnosed with heart failure will die within five years if left untreated.
To combat the effects of heart failure, CHI Memorial along with The Chattanooga Heart Institute developed its Heart Failure Program. Since the program began, it has consistently improved readmission rates for people with the condition. The program is designed to empower those living with heart failure to take better care of their health.
CHI Memorial’s Heart Failure Program has a five person team that includes a cardiologist at The Chattanooga Heart Institute, three registered nurses and a health coordinator. This team educates people with heart failure about their condition and the necessary medications. Once someone leaves the hospital, a team member will be in contact with him/her for the next three to six months to monitor progress, ensure all medication is available and being taken properly, follow-up doctor appointments are made and kept, as well as address any barriers to care such as transportation, financial and literacy issues.
“Most readmissions for heart failure patients happen within two weeks of leaving the hospital. This program provides patients with the tools they need to successfully manage their health care needs once they go home,” says Emily Gunn, RN, CHI Memorial Heart Failure Program coordinator. “We are always available to answer questions and assist them along the way. We want to continue the same excellent quality of care even after a patient leaves our hospital.”
Dr. Atchley says there has also been a dramatic decline in the 30 day mortality rate since the Heart Failure Program began. “To see that kind of improvement in mortality is validation that the program is valuable. People are living longer and feeling better. That’s the most important outcome of the entire process.”
For more information about CHI Memorial’s Heart Failure Program, call (423) 495-3055.