Improving quality of care in patients with decompensated acute heart failure using a discharge checklist

The use of a discharge checklist may decrease heart failure readmission rate.

We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of a checklist in patients hospitalized for heart failure, in terms of mortality, cardiovascular mortality and readmission rates, and quality of care, including therapeutic optimization and careplan planning.

We prospectively used a discharge checklist in 103 patients hospitalized for heart failure between July 2015 and January 2016. Quality of care and outcomes were compared with a retrospective cohort of 137 patients with same inclusion criteria, hospitalized between June 2014 and December 2014. The primary endpoints were total and cardiovascular mortality and readmissions for heart failure at 6months. The secondary endpoint was quality of care rendered, measured by evidence-based medications, appropriate medication uptitration and planned discharge care.

At 6months, there were no differences between the checklist and control cohorts in the rates of all-cause mortality (10.7% vs. 13.1%; P=0.57), cardiovascular mortality (8.7% vs. 10.9%; P=0.58) and readmission (29.1% vs. 32.1%; P=0.62). Follow-up after discharge was better planned in the checklist group. The use of the checklist yielded therapeutic optimization with a higher dose of beta-blockers and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers, especially in patients with a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (<50%) (P=0.03 and P=0.02, respectively).

The use of a simple discharge checklist in patients with acute heart failure showed no benefit in terms of readmission and mortality rates; however, it yielded better quality of care, including therapeutic optimization and careplan planning.