Facts about heart failure.
- Roughly 25% of heart failure patients require hospital readmission within 30 days. This is due to worsening symptoms secondary to either a decrease in cardiac output and/or fluid retention, both of which are associated with a high symptom burden and a progressively decreasing quality of life.
- The course of heart disease is often unpredictable and managing symptoms can be difficult.
- There is a high prevalence of HF and substantial morbidity and mortality associated with it in Trinidad and Tobago.
- Palliative Medicine alleviates symptom burden, including pain, improves quality-of-life and ensures treatment goals are aligned with the patients’ values.
- Palliative Medicine has also been shown to decrease the cost of care and hospitalizations.
Heart-String is a treatment program designed to meet the unique needs of patients with advanced cardiac disease. A wide range of symptoms can present themselves with heart disease, often unpredictably. Using the collaboration of three medical specialties: Internal Medicine, Palliative Medicine and Cardiology, Heart String offers continuity of care amongst all providers and shared decision-making. It allows patients to be treated in the comfort of their home and offers 24/7 tele-health availability to truly create a healing environment.
Heart-String Goals
- Reduced emergency department visits and hospital readmissions
- Comprehensive management of Congestive Heart Failure symptoms at home rather than an emergency room
- Increased patient and family understanding of the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis
- Improved quality of life
- Cardiac medications, including IV diuretics delivered at home.
- Physician and medical staff available around the clock
- Continuous care for crisis management
- Trained staff specializing in cardiac disease care
- Interdisciplinary team to support physical, emotional and spiritual needs
- Improved collaboration amongst patient’s physicians
- Reduced cost of care.
Is Heart-String appropriate for you or your loved one?
- Have you been diagnosed with Advanced Heart Failure?
- Do you have symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, insomnia, anorexia, constipation, nausea/vomiting, increased swelling, difficulty ambulating and deteriorating health?
- Do you have high health care use, emergency department visits or hospitalization?
- Do you live within the North/West/Eastern corridor of Trinidad?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions Heart-String might be right for you.