The Viability of Heart Failure Virtual Clinics - 2023 Quality Summit Presentation (Non-CE)-The Viability of Heart Failure Virtual Clinics

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Dr. Andrew Wilson from Brooke Army Medical Center presented the findings of a quality improvement initiative titled "The Viability of Virtual Heart Failure Clinics". The focus of the talk was on managing heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF). Dr. Wilson discussed the challenges in managing HF-REF, such as increased mortality and high re-hospitalization rates. He also emphasized the importance of early follow-up and effective self-care for patients with HF-REF. <br /><br />The virtual heart failure clinic was created as a multidisciplinary platform to improve access to care, allow for safe titration of guideline-directed medical therapy, reduce symptom burden, prevent hospitalizations, and provide patient education and self-care support. The clinic used a digital toolkit that included a blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, heart rate monitor, pedometer, digital scale, electronic tablet, and modem. <br /><br />During the clinic enrollment, patients received regular monitoring of vital signs, medication adjustments, and interventions based on alarm parameters. The clinic achieved high rates of implementation of guideline-directed medical therapies, including beta blockers, ARNIs, SGLT2 inhibitors, and MRAs. Patients also showed improvements in EF and quality of life measures.<br /><br />Dr. Wilson highlighted the need for further research on the sustainability and cost effectiveness of virtual heart failure clinics, as well as the potential to expand the model to include HFPEF patients. He also discussed the importance of addressing barriers to access for patients with limited resources and connectivity.

Keywords

Dr. Andrew Wilson

Brooke Army Medical Center

quality improvement initiative

virtual heart failure clinics

heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

HF-REF

managing HF-REF

multidisciplinary platform

digital toolkit