title: Collaborative development of a clinical pathway for congestive heart failure.
abstract: Bon Secours Hospital, a 304-bed community hospital in Grosse Pointe, MI, decided to target high-volume and high-cost DRGs for clinical process improvement. Working collaboratively with members of the medical staff, the cardiac team set out to improve outcomes by reducing the non-value-added costs and the variations in the treatment of patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). A comprehensive program of care for these patients, that included the full continuum of care, from prevention to maintenance, is being developed, using a clinical pathway to manage the acute phase of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Bon Secours Hospital, Grosse Pointe, MI, USA.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Balesky
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Provenzano
mesh_terms: D016507:Cardiology Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D019090:Case Management; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D019091:Critical Pathways / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006745:Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008824:Michigan; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care; D016730:Program Development; D017749:Total Quality Management