Hospice of Chattanooga has been ranked among the most experienced hospices in handling heart failure patients in Tennessee according to Dexur, a healthcare data, news and research analytics service.
The Dexur rankings are based on Medicare claims data from January 2016 to December 2018 analyzing three diagnosis-related groups for heart failure and shock.
“We’re proud of the work we’ve done to help our patients manage the symptoms of their end-stage cardiac disease,” said Hospice of Chattanooga Chief Medical Officer Dr.
Greg Phelps. “These efforts have not only helped the patient have a better quality of life, but they’ve also helped to significantly reduce their readmission rates to the hospital – helping them stay in the comfort of home, where they want to be.”
Part of Hospice of Chattanooga’s success in caring for heart failure patients is attributed to its HeartTouch Journey, a program that decreases the likelihood of re-hospitalization for heart disease patients.
"Cardiac patients suffering from heart failure are among the highest when it comes to re-admission rates- with nearly 1/3 of those on Medicare returning to the hospital within 30 days," officials said. "In 2018, the readmission rate for heart failure patients on Hospice of Chattanooga’s HeartTouch Journey was zero percent."
For more information on HeartTouch Journey and how it can benefit hospice or palliative care patients, contact Hospice of Chattanooga at 423-892-1533.