Dissertation
Heart failure quality improvement initiative: does a multidisciplinary heart failure program reduce 30-day hospital readmissions for Medicare recipients?
Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.), Drexel University
Sep 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-6964
Abstract
Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control, heart failure remained the leading cause of death in 2010. Fifty percent of those diagnosed with HF will die within five years of diagnosis. Over 39 billion is spent on HF annually, creating a huge personal and healthcare expenditure burden. Purpose: To determine if an inpatient multidisciplinary HF program decreases the Medicare 30-day hospital readmission rate for a hospital in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Methods: This quality improvement project utilized a retrospective design. The impact of a multidisciplinary heart failure program on 30-day readmissions was evaluated by comparing HF readmissions during a 6-month period before and after implementation of the program. Inclusion criteria included using data Results: A total of 696 medical records were reviewed for this quality improvement project. Three hundred twenty-one during the pre-intervention period and 375 during the post intervention period. Twenty-seven were eliminated during the pre-intervention period and 28 during the post intervention period due to exclusion criteria. The readmission rate was 12.6% pre-intervention and 16.7% post-intervention. The difference in readmission rates was not significant. Conclusion and recommendations: The multidisciplinary heart failure program did not decrease the Medicare 30-day hospital readmission rate, but there are many factors that may have impacted the readmissions. Since the hospital system plans to continue the program, it may be beneficial to reevaluate the program next year. The addition of a HF outpatient clinic for access to early follow-up care post hospitalization and access to triage care may also be advantageous.
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Details
- Title
- Heart failure quality improvement initiative
- Creators
- Rosalee M. Dormio - DU
- Contributors
- Rose Ann DiMaria-Ghalili (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Doctoral Nursing; Nursing (Graduate); College of Nursing and Health Professions; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 6964; 991014632185404721