Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 7, 2026
05:35
Author Spotlight: Developing a Point-of-Care Hemoglobin Estimation Method for Anemia Management
Published on: January 19, 2024
1.6K
Designing a Clinical Decision Support Tool to Promote Timely Palliative Care in Heart Failure
Yutong Men1, Nathan Wright2, Giselle O'Connor2
1Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St, New Haven, CT, 06510.
Medrxiv : the Preprint Server for Health Sciences
|February 6, 2026
Summary
Developing a clinical decision support (CDS) tool for heart failure patients can improve palliative care access. This tool integrates clinical data and workflow needs to overcome referral barriers and enhance patient quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Palliative Care
- Health Informatics
Background:
- Palliative care enhances quality of life and reduces healthcare utilization in heart failure patients.
- Referrals for palliative care in heart failure are often inconsistent and delayed.
- Existing clinical decision support (CDS) tools do not specifically address palliative care needs in heart failure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify clinician needs and design requirements for a CDS tool to facilitate timely palliative care for heart failure patients.
- To apply the User-Centered Framework for Implementation of Technology (UFIT) to guide CDS tool development.
- To address barriers hindering timely palliative care referrals in heart failure.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative descriptive study using focus groups and interviews with referring and palliative care clinicians (n=25).
- Application of the User-Centered Framework for Implementation of Technology (UFIT).
- Rapid qualitative and content analysis to identify needs, contextual factors, and design requirements.
Main Results:
- Clinicians identified workflow pain points, goals for earlier referrals, and barriers like timing uncertainty.
- Key informational needs include prognostic and clinical data.
- Clinicians desired CDS tools with objective markers, tailored recommendations, workflow integration, and a clear design, avoiding disruptive alerts.
Conclusions:
- Clinicians' identified needs and requirements are crucial for designing and implementing a palliative care CDS tool for heart failure.
- The developed CDS tool aims to promote timely, guideline-concordant palliative care.
- Successful CDS implementation hinges on alignment with clinical workflows to ensure usability and adoption.
More Related Videos
03:47Author Spotlight: Workflow for Integrating POCUS Data into EHR for Managing Heart Failure Patients
Published on: July 12, 2024
1.2K
04:05Author Spotlight: Unveiling Prognostic Indicators in Heart Failure - The Role of Phase Angle and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis
Published on: June 30, 2023
2.9K
Related Concept Videos
01:26Heart Failure III: Clinical Manifestations
604
Heart failure (HF) manifests primarily as dyspnea, fatigue, and fluid retention, resulting in peripheral and pulmonary edema. Symptoms may vary depending on which ventricle is more affected, left or right.Left-Sided Heart FailureAlso known as left ventricular failure, this condition results from the left ventricle's inability to fill or eject sufficient blood into the systemic circulation. It leads to pulmonary congestion, which occurs when the left ventricle fails to eject blood effectively...
604
01:29Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology
964
Systolic Heart Failure and Compensatory MechanismsSystolic heart failure (also termed HFrEF, Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction) is the most prevalent type of heart filure. It results in a decreased volume of blood being pumped from the ventricle. The aortic arch and carotid sinuses have baroreceptors that detect reduced blood pressure, triggering the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to release epinephrine and norepinephrine. Initially, this response aims to boost heart rate and...
964
01:17Pathophysiology of Heart Failure
3.8K
Heart failure (HF) is a progressive syndrome involving ventricles that leads to inadequate cardiac output. It can be classified based on location and output or ejection fraction. Ejection fraction (EF) is an essential measurement in the diagnosis and surveillance of HF. Reduced EF corresponds to systolic heart failure (HFrEF). However, HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is becoming increasingly prevalent. Also known as diastolic HF, this form of HF is related to aging. The...
3.8K
01:27Heart Failure I: Introduction
903
Heart failure refers to a clinical syndrome caused by structural or functional cardiac disorders that prevent the heart from pumping an adequate amount of blood to meet the body's metabolic needs. This condition often arises from myocardial infarction or ischemia, leading to decreased cardiac output, reduced tissue perfusion, impaired gas exchange, fluid volume imbalance, and decreased functional ability.Heart failure can result from disruptions in the mechanisms that regulate cardiac output...
903
01:22Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies
348
Additional therapies for treating patients with heart failure (HF) may include procedural interventions, supplemental oxygen, the management of sleep disorders, and nutritional therapy.Procedural InterventionsImplantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator: For patients at risk of life-threatening arrhythmias due to severe left ventricular dysfunction, an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) can detect and terminate these arrhythmias, preventing sudden cardiac death and improving survival rates.
348
01:22Heart Failure Drugs: Diuretics
987
Heart failure and kidney perfusion are interconnected in a complex way. Reduced renal perfusion and venous congestion are two significant factors that contribute to renal dysfunction in heart failure. The kidneys, primarily responsible for fluid balance in the body, are adversely affected due to compromised cardiac output and increased venous pressure. In response to reduced renal perfusion, the kidneys activate neurohumoral mechanisms to restore balance. However, these mechanisms can be...
987