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Author Spotlight: Workflow for Integrating POCUS Data into EHR for Managing Heart Failure Patients
Published on: July 12, 2024
Patient, Caregiver, and Physician Work in Heart Failure Disease Management: A Qualitative Study of Issues That
Steven A Farmer1, Susan Magasi2, Phoebe Block3
1Office of Clinical Practice Innovation, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC; Center for Cardiovascular Innovation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.
Objective:
To identify factors underlying heart failure hospitalization.
Methods:
Between January 1, 2012, and May 31, 2012, we combined medical record reviews and cross-sectional qualitative interviews of multiple patients with heart failure, their clinicians, and their caregivers from a large academic medical center in the Midwestern United States. The interview data were analyzed using a 3-step grounded theory-informed process and constant comparative methods. Qualitative data were compared and contrasted with results from the medical record review.
Results:
Patient nonadherence to the care plan was the most important contributor to hospital admission; however, reasons for nonadherence were complex and multifactorial. The data highlight the importance of patient education for the purposes of condition management, timeliness of care, and effective communication between providers and patients.
Conclusion:
To improve the consistency and quality of care for patients with heart failure, more effective relationships among patients, providers, and caregivers are needed. Providers must be pragmatic when educating patients and their caregivers about heart failure, its treatment, and its prognosis.