title: Reduction in hospitalisations and emergency department visits for frail patients with heart failure: Results of the UMIPIC healthcare programme.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Heart failure (HF) is a disease with high morbidity and mortality. We evaluated the usefulness of the Comprehensive Management Units for Patients with HF (Unidades de Manejo Integral para Pacientes con IC [UMIPIC]) programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed the patient data from the UMIPIC programme, which was recorded in the HF registry (RICA) of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine. We compared emergency department visits and hospitalisations for any cause and for HF during the year prior to inclusion in the programme against those that occurred during the subsequent follow-up year, using the chi-squared test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 258 patients (mean age, 80years; 51.9% women) were included in the study. During the previous year, there were 693 hospitalisations for all causes and 174 hospitalisations during the follow-up (75% reduction, P<.001). There were 613 hospitalisations for HF during the previous year and 92 during the follow-up (85% reduction, P<.001); 655 vs. 302 in terms of emergency department visits for any cause (53.9% reduction, P<.001); and 440 vs. 120 for emergency department visits for HF (72% reduction, P<.001). There were no significant differences in the number of hospitalisations or emergency department visits for causes other than HF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The UMIPIC programme based on the comprehensive care of elderly patients with HF and comorbidity reduces the rate of hospital readmissions and emergency department visits during the first year of follow-up.
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Lucus Augusti, Lugo, España. Electronic address: jmcerqueiro@lugonautas.com.
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Cerqueiro
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias, España.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: González-Franco
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, IMIBIC/Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, España.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Montero-Pérez-Barquero
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital de Manises, Manises, Valencia, España.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Llácer
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Conde
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Ntra. Señora de la Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España.
authors: M F
authors: MF
authors: Dávila
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Complejo Hospitalario de Soria, Soria, España.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Carrera
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Municipal de Badalona, Badalona, Barcelona, España.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Serrado
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Valle del Nalón, Langreo, Asturias, España.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Suárez
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Consorcio Hospital General Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, España.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Pérez-Silvestre
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario de Fuenlabrada, Fuenlabrada, Madrid, España.
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Satué
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Comarcal de Zafra, Zafra, Badajoz, España.
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Arévalo-Lorido
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Xeral-Cies de Vigo, Vigo, Pontevedra, España.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Rodríguez
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Nuestra Señora del Prado, Toledo, España.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Herrero
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Corporaciò Sanitaria Parc Taulí, Sabadell, Barcelona, España.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Jordana
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, España.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Manzano
keywords: Ancianos; Elderly; Follow-up programmes; Heart failure; Insuficiencia cardíaca; Prognosis; Programas de seguimiento; Pronóstico