By Geoffrey Jao, MD & Wesley Tyree, MD | HonorHealth Heart Care 

Addressing the challenges of heart failure

Heart failure is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in the U.S., impacting millions of individuals and placing a significant strain on healthcare resources. To improve patient outcomes and reduce readmissions, HonorHealth offers a specialized Heart Failure Bridge Program. This program provides comprehensive outpatient care and support for heart failure patients transitioning from hospital to home, with the goal of enhancing quality of life and minimizing the need for rehospitalizations.
 

Impact of HF

1. High prevalence: Approximately 6.7 million Americans over the age of 20 have heart failure, with projections reaching 11.4 million by 2050.^1,2
2. Chronic condition: Heart failure requires continuous monitoring and active management, greatly affecting both patient quality of life and caregiver burden.
3. Healthcare resource strain: Recurring hospitalizations and the need for ongoing treatment underscore the importance of better outpatient management.
4. High readmission rates: Heart failure is one of the leading causes of hospital readmissions, often resulting from poor disease management.
5. Rising mortality rates: Since 2012, heart failure mortality has increased, accounting for 45% of cardiovascular deaths in the U.S. in 2021.³

HonorHealth Heart Failure Bridge Program

Key features

• Early intervention: Initiates within two weeks post-discharge to ensure timely care.
• Comprehensive education: Eight one-hour sessions focusing on lifestyle changes, exercise, nutrition and medication management.
• Health monitoring: Includes regular checks of vital signs, weight tracking, edema evaluation and medication reconciliation.
• Flexible support: Sessions are held twice weekly at multiple locations and run continuously.
• Free of charge: All services are provided at no cost to the patient.
• Seamless transition: Eligible patients can progress to phase 2 cardiac rehab upon completion.

Program benefits

• Safe and effective: Demonstrated improvements in physical function among diverse, older patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) compared to usual care.⁴
• Inclusive: Open to all heart failure patients, regardless of ejection fraction.
• Comprehensive care: Provides education, monitoring and support for better self-management and long-term health outcomes.
• Improved outcomes: Aims to reduce hospital readmissions and enhance patients’ overall quality of life.

Practical information

Locations and schedule

• Sessions held Tuesdays and Thursdays at:
  • HonorHealth Heart Care – Cardiac Rehab – John C. Lincoln
  • HonorHealth Heart Care – Cardiac Rehab – Shea
  • HonorHealth Heart Care – Cardiac Rehab – Deer Valley

Referral process

• Any clinical team member can refer eligible patients
• Cardiac Rehabilitation team will contact patient to coordinate attendance
• After eight sessions, eligible patients can transition to phase 2 cardiac rehab

Contact information

• HonorHealth Heart Care – Cardiac Rehab – John C. Lincoln: 602-870-6368
• HonorHealth Heart Care – Cardiac Rehab – Shea: 480-323-4600
• HonorHealth Heart Care – Cardiac Rehab – Deer Valley: 623-879-1800

Through the Heart Failure Bridge Program, HonorHealth is committed to improving access for all hospitalized patients with heart failure, increasing patient engagement, enhancing quality of life and reducing rehospitalizations.
 

References:

1. Heart failure STATS 2024: Heart Failure Epidemiology and Outcomes Statistics. An Updated 2024 Report from the Heart Failure Society of America. Journal of Cardiac Failure.
2. 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure. JACC. 2022; 79(17): e263-421.
3. Center for Disease control and prevention. Wide-ranging online data for epidemiologic Research Database. Accessed: June 22, 2024. https://wonder.cdc.gov
4. Kitzman D. Whellan DJ, et al. Physical Rehabilitation of Older Patients Hospitalized for Heart Failure (REHAB-HF). N Engl J Med. 2021: 385:203-216.