The nurse coordinator role and increasing continuity in care in a pediatric heart failure/cardiomyopathy program

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiology
• Heart Failure Management
• Healthcare Coordination

Background:

• Pediatric patients with heart failure/cardiomyopathy (HF/CM) require ongoing specialized care.
• These patients face a high risk of emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
• Continuity of care (COC) is crucial for managing pediatric HF/CM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a dedicated HF/CM nurse coordinator on continuity of care (COC).
• To assess changes in emergency room visits and hospitalizations post-implementation of the nurse coordinator role.
• To compare COC and related outcomes before and after the introduction of the HF/CM nurse coordinator.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis comparing COC in a new HF/CM program versus a previous care model.
• COC was defined as a cardiology office visit within three months of the scheduled follow-up.
• HF/CM-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations were compared between the two care models.

Main Results:

• The study included 98 pediatric HF/CM patients; 38 had prior care at the institution.
• Patients in the new program demonstrated significantly higher COC (p=0.046).
• The HF/CM program resulted in significantly fewer emergency room visits/hospitalizations (p=0.001) with a medium effect size.

Conclusions:

• The introduction of a pediatric HF/CM nurse coordinator led to significant improvements in continuity of care.
• Emergency room visits and hospitalizations for pediatric HF/CM patients were significantly reduced.
• A dedicated nurse coordinator role positively impacts clinical outcomes in pediatric heart failure management.