Hospice of the Chesapeake, in partnership with the American Heart Association and the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, has introduced a new program aimed at improving care for heart disease patients and reducing hospital visits. The Advanced Cardiac Care Program provides educational tools to help patients and their families manage heart disease more effectively at home.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, surpassing cancer and other illnesses. Congestive heart failure alone is responsible for over a million hospital admissions every year. Many of these hospital visits could be prevented with better symptom management and access to home-based care.
The program offers a patient and caregiver guide designed to help families understand warning signs, manage symptoms, and navigate treatment options. By reducing unnecessary emergency room visits, the program aims to ease stress for both patients and their loved ones.
Dr. Sonja Richmond, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Hospice of the Chesapeake, emphasized the program’s impact on patient care. “Providing the right information to heart disease patients allows them to take charge of their health. With these resources, we can improve their quality of life and help prevent avoidable hospital stays.”
Despite the benefits of hospice care, few heart failure patients take advantage of these services. According to Carole Fisher, President of the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, only five percent of discharged heart failure patients receive in-home hospice care. “Too many people spend their final days in hospitals or nursing facilities when they could receive care at home, surrounded by family,” Fisher said.
The Advanced Cardiac Care Program seeks to change that by making hospice and palliative care more accessible to heart disease patients. With support from healthcare professionals, families can better manage symptoms and improve their loved ones’ comfort at home.
For more information about the Advanced Cardiac Care Program and to access the patient and caregiver guide, visit www.hospicechesapeake.org/cardiac.
