HerzMobil Tirol network: rationale for and design of a collaborative heart failure disease management program in Austria.
Heart failure (HF) is approaching epidemic proportions worldwide and is the leading cause of hospitalization in the elderly population. High rates of readmission contribute substantially to excessive health care costs and highlight the fragmented nature of care available to HF patients. Disease management programs (DMPs) have been implemented to improve health outcomes, patient satisfaction, and quality of life, and to reduce health care costs. Telemonitoring systems appear to be effective in the vulnerable phase after discharge from hospital to prevent early readmissions. DMPs that emphasize comprehensive patient education and guideline-adjusted therapy have shown great promise to result in beneficial long-term effects. It can be speculated that combining core elements of the aforementioned programs may substantially improve long-term cost-effectiveness of patient management.We introduce a collaborative post-discharge HF disease management program (HerzMobil Tirol network) that incorporates physician-controlled telemonitoring and nurse-led care in a multidisciplinary network approach.
Clinical Division of Cardiology and Angiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
Andreas
A
Von der Heidt
Elske
E
Ammenwerth
Karl
K
Bauer
Bettina
B
Fetz
Thomas
T
Fluckinger
Andrea
A
Gassner
Willhelm
W
Grander
Walter
W
Gritsch
Immaculata
I
Haffner
Gudrun
G
Henle-Talirz
Stefan
S
Hoschek
Stephan
S
Huter
Peter
P
Kastner
Susanne
S
Krestan
Peter
P
Kufner
Robert
R
Modre-Osprian
Josef
J
Noebl
Momen
M
Radi
Clemens
C
Raffeiner
Stefan
S
Welte
Andreas
A
Wiseman
Gerhard
G
Poelzl
D001317:Austria; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000458:organization & administration*