2022 Quality Summit ePosters (Non-CE) - Heart Failure Accreditation-3. Improvement Project: Discharge Plan in Patients with Heart Failure at the Hospital Universitario Dr. Ramon Ruiz Arnau, Bayamon, Puerto Rico

3. Improvement Project: Discharge Plan in Patients with Heart Failure at the Hospital Universitario Dr. Ramon Ruiz Arnau, Bayamon, Puerto Rico

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Pdf Summary

Heart failure (HF) is a global epidemic despite efforts in diagnosis and treatment. Hospital readmissions of HF patients contribute to poor outcomes. This study aims to implement an improvement plan to aid patients in transitioning from hospital to home. The plan involves assessing post-discharge needs and providing thorough patient education. Patients were given a "Heart Failure Discharge Package" that included information about their illness, follow-up visits, instructions for monitoring weight and blood pressure, medication lists, follow-up phone calls, and diet instructions. Pre- and post-tests were conducted to assess patient knowledge. The results showed that patients lacked knowledge about their condition, medication usage, blood pressure monitoring, and diet. However, after implementing the package, patients demonstrated an improved understanding of their condition. The follow-up phone calls and visits with the cardiologist facilitated compliance with medication and follow-up appointments. No rehospitalizations occurred among the enrolled patients during the three-month period. The project aims to decrease readmission costs for both the hospital and patients by improving patient understanding and management of HF. The study concludes that the Heart Failure Discharge Package effectively enhances HF care and should be expanded to more patients. Further research is needed to assess the package's overall effectiveness in HF patients.

Keywords

heart failure

hospital readmissions

improvement plan

transitioning from hospital to home

post-discharge needs

patient education

heart failure discharge package

medication usage

blood pressure monitoring

diet instructions