Heart Failure Initiative Pilot Launched

Heart Failure Initiative Pilot Launched

As we have previously announced, AHP has assembled a multi-disciplinary team with the medical center, as well as community provider and health agency input, to build upon the successes and lessons learned from the Medicare Fee for Service Bundle Heart Failure program. This group has created a new heart failure initiative based in the primary care office care management realm. This program is unique in that it will marry primary care management efforts with support from Cardiology subspecialty care management and home care programs to reduce initial heart failure hospitalizations, readmissions and ED/Urgent Care utilization. We identified 5 sites within the AHP network to pilot this initiative which just launched on Monday, April 16th. The practices participating are Genesee Valley Family Medicine, Internal Medicine Associates of Brighton, Olsan Medical Group, Southview Internal Medicine, and Victor Health Associates. Already, we have begun to see success, and we would like to share one brief story that occurred to highlight the benefits this program will offer. This anecdote was shared by Kari Silver, MSN, NP-C who is the Cardiology Care Manager for this initiative:

“We have had our first success story! Our first probable HF admission avoided! A patient from Genesee Valley Family Medicine was captured and noted to be volume overloaded in clinic. Dr Hanson increased the patient’s diuretics. The care manager, Laurie Bennett, notified UR Home Care. URHC went out for education, etc. Home Care infusion service worked with Dr. Hanson to “ready the IV lasix” in case it was needed. The patient responded well to the addition of metolazone for three days. Home care was beneficial in that the patient was not taking her metolazone correctly (30 minutes before torsemide) and the nurse was able to correct the mediset. There were numerous calls between the care manager, home care and myself. This is a perfect example of how this program will succeed.”

Kudos to our partners from Genesee Valley Family Medicine, Laurie Bennet, Care Manager and Dr. Jeffrey Hanson, as well as all the other pilot sites for championing this important initiative!