title: The Optimize Heart Failure Care Program: Initial lessons from global implementation.
abstract: Hospitalization for heart failure (HF) places a major burden on healthcare services worldwide, and is a strong predictor of increased mortality especially in the first three months after discharge. Though undesirable, hospitalization is an opportunity to optimize HF therapy and advise clinicians and patients about the importance of continued adherence to HF medication and regular monitoring. The Optimize Heart Failure Care Program (www.optimize-hf.com), which has been implemented in 45 countries, is designed to improve outcomes following HF hospitalization through inexpensive initiatives to improve prescription of appropriate drug therapies, patient education and engagement, and post-discharge planning. It includes best practice clinical protocols for local adaptation, pre- and post-discharge checklists, and 'My HF Passport', a printed and smart phone application to improve patient understanding of HF and encourage involvement in care and treatment adherence. Early experience of the Program suggests that factors leading to successful implementation include support from HF specialists or 'local leaders', regular educational meetings for participating healthcare professionals, multidisciplinary collaboration, and full integration of pre- and post-hospital discharge checklists across care services. The Program is helping to raise awareness of HF and generate useful data on current practice. It is showing how good evidence-based care can be achieved through the use of simple clinician and patient-focused tools. Preliminary results suggest that optimization of HF pharmacological therapy is achievable through the Program, with little new investment. Further data collection will lead to a greater understanding of the impact of the Program on HF care and key indicators of success.
authors.affiliation: Imperial College London, Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney Street, London SW3 6HP, United Kingdom. Electronic address: m.cowie@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Martin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cowie
authors.affiliation: Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd Regional Cardiology Centre, 106, Universitetsky Prospect, Volgograd 400008, Russia.
authors.forename: Yuri M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lopatin
authors.affiliation: Clinica Cardio VID, University of Antioquia, Calle 78 B 75, 21, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia. Electronic address: clarais@une.net.co.
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saldarriaga
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Unit, S. Francisco Xavier Hospital, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Ocidental and NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cândida
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Programme, National Heart Centre Singapore, 5 Hospital Drive, Singapore 169609, Singapore. Electronic address: david.sim@nhcs.com.sq.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.affiliation: Division of Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation, Cardiology Hospital, National Medical Centre "Siglo XXI", Mexican Institute of Social Security, 330 Cuauhtemoc Avenue, 06720 Mexico City, Mexico. Electronic address: antonio.maganas@imss.gob.mx.
authors.forename: Jose Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Magaña
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Sciences, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Voluntários da Pátria, 445 Suites 1401/02, Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22270-000, Brazil. Electronic address: albuquerque@cardiol.br.
authors.forename: Denilson
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Albuquerque
authors.affiliation: Cardiología Clínica ICBA, Instituto Cardiovascular de Buenos Aires, Blanco Encalada 1543, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: mstrivi@icba.com.ar.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trivi
authors.affiliation: Hospital y Clínicas DIME, 2901 Ave. Ucrania, Col. Humuya, Tegucigalpa DC FM 1101, Honduras.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moncada
authors.affiliation: Complejo Hospitalario Metropolitano Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid, University of Panama, Via Transistmica Panamá, Panama.
authors.forename: Baldomero A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: González Castillo
authors.affiliation: Calle 7 #1678, Entre avenidas 16 y 18, San José, Costa Rica. Electronic address: sacagce@ice.co.cr.
authors.forename: Mario Osvaldo Speranza
authors.initials: MOS
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica. Electronic address: eechung@cwjamaica.com.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D057189:Checklist / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends*; D014943:Global Health / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends
keywords: Checklist; Heart failure; Hospitalization; My HF Passport; Optimize