title: Physician-directed heart failure transitional care program: a retrospective case review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite a variety of national efforts to improve transitions of care for patients at risk for rehospitalization, 30-day rehospitalization rates for patients with heart failure have remained largely unchanged.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective review of 73 patients enrolled in our hospital-based, physican-directed Heart Failure Transitional Care Program (HFTCP). This study evaluated the 30- and 90- day readmission rates before and after enrollment in the program. The Transitionalist's services focused on bedside consultation prior to hospital discharge, follow-up home visits within 72 hours of discharge, frequent follow-up phone calls, disease-specific education, outpatient intravenous diuretic therapy, and around-the-clock telephone access to the Transitionalist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pre-enrollment 30-day readmission rates for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and all-cause readmission was 26.0% and 28.8%, respectively, while the post-enrollment rates for ADHF and all-cause readmission were 4.1% (P < 0.001) and 8.2% (P = 0.002), respectively. The pre-enrollment 90-day all-cause and ADHF readmission rates were 69.8%, and 58.9% respectively, while the post-enrollment rates for all-cause and ADHF were 27.3% (P < 0.001) and 16.4% (P < 0.001) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our physician-implemented HFTCP reduced rehospitalization risk for patients enrolled in the program. This program may serve as a model to assist other hospital systems to reduce readmission rates of patients with HF.
authors: Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, Department of Transitional Care Medicine, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
authors: Ken S
authors: KS
authors: Ota
authors: David S
authors: DS
authors: Beutler
authors: Richard D
authors: RD
authors: Gerkin
authors: Jessica L
authors: JL
authors: Weiss
authors: Akil I
authors: AI
authors: Loli
keywords: Heart failure; Readmission; Transitional care; Transitionalist
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