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Building a Heart Failure Clinic: A Practical Guide from the Heart Failure Society of America
Stephen J Greene1, Srinath Adusumalli2, Nancy M Albert3
1Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA; Division of Cardiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Insights
This guide offers practical strategies for establishing and maintaining heart failure (HF) clinics, focusing on guideline-directed care and operational efficiency to improve patient outcomes and resource utilization.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) is a significant cause of mortality, morbidity, and healthcare costs in the US.
- There is a continuous need for effective HF management strategies.
- HF clinics offer a coordinated, guideline-directed approach to patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a practical guide for creating and sustaining heart failure clinics.
- To empower healthcare providers and clinicians in developing successful HF clinics.
- To outline key considerations for both patient care and clinic operations.
Main Methods:
- The document synthesizes current best practices for HF clinic development.
- It addresses patient care considerations, including guideline-directed and patient-centered approaches.
- Operational aspects such as business planning, staffing, and quality improvement are discussed.
Main Results:
- The guide details essential components for successful HF clinic implementation.
- It covers patient referral triggers, follow-up protocols, and population served.
- Recommendations for staffing models and subspecialist collaboration are provided.
Conclusions:
- Establishing well-structured HF clinics is crucial for optimizing patient care and resource use.
- The guide provides a comprehensive framework for building and sustaining effective HF clinics.
- Successful HF clinics require a focus on guideline-directed care, operational efficiency, and continuous quality improvement.
Abstract:
Heart failure (HF) remains a leading cause of mortality and morbidity and a primary driver of health care resource use in the United States. As such, there continues to be much interest in the development and refinement of HF clinics that manage patients with HF in a guideline-directed, technology-enabled, and coordinated approach. Optimization of resource use and maintenance of collaboration with other providers are also important themes when considering implementation of HF clinics. Through this document, the Heart Failure Society of America aims to provide a contemporary, practical guide to creating and sustaining a HF clinic. The guide discusses (1) patient care considerations for delivering guideline-directed and patient-centered care, and (2) operational considerations including development of a HF clinic business plan, setting goals, leadership support, triggers for patient referral and patient follow-up, patient population served, optimal clinic staffing models, relationships with subspecialists, and continuous quality improvement. This document was developed to empower providers and clinicians who wish to build and sustain community-based, successful HF clinics.