2010 Performance Report:
Advanced Heart Failure.
The advanced heart failure program team at St.Vincent Heart Center of Indiana takes a multidisciplinary approach to treatment. The combined expertise of specialists, including physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, social workers and many other professionals, lies at the core of the program's success. With a dedicated inpatient unit and a reputation for excellent follow-up care after discharge, the advanced heart failure program continues to provide outstanding cardiac care through evidence-based therapies.
In 2009, St.Vincent Heart Center of Indiana became.the first health institution in the state to earn the Disease-Specific Care Certification for Heart Failure from The Joint Commission, the nation's leading healthcare accreditation organization. The Disease-Specific Care Certification Program awards accreditation to healthcare organizations that follow national standards and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.
The number of heart failure patients we treat each year continues to rise. In 2009, heart failure patient volume increased significantly, with 1,259 patients, a 15 percent increase from 2008 (FIG. 23). Our composite scores also remain strong at 90 percent for the following CMS indicators: assessment of left ventricular function, use of ACEI/ARB, smoking cessation advice/counseling, and discharge instructions.
