Beyond a team: The comprehensive interdisciplinary endocarditis program in the United States.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Multidisciplinary teams reduce in-hospital mortality for infectious endocarditis.
• Existing research predominantly focuses on inpatient care and European centers.
• Optimal longitudinal care models for infectious endocarditis patients are not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and experience of an interdisciplinary endocarditis program.
• To extend care from inpatient to outpatient settings.
• To coordinate care for transferred patients and provide regional education.

Main Methods:

• Establishment of an interdisciplinary endocarditis program at a tertiary care center.
• Longitudinal patient management encompassing hospitalization and outpatient follow-up.
• Coordination of inter-facility patient transfers and regional provider education.

Main Results:

• The program successfully integrated inpatient and outpatient care for infectious endocarditis.
• Established a framework for coordinating care for transferred patients.
• Provided educational resources to regional healthcare providers, expanding program reach.

Conclusions:

• An interdisciplinary approach is crucial for comprehensive infectious endocarditis management.
• The developed program model facilitates seamless patient care transitions.
• This initiative enhances the care continuum for infectious endocarditis patients regionally.