The goal of the Bridge Project is to improve the quality of care for older adults with heart failure to decrease hospitalization and improve their quality of life. The program combines education on best practices, partnership between facility staff and administration to develop, implement, support and sustain the program through physician and nurse champions and developed HF protocols that include HF rounds.
Click here for Physician Protocol Tool.
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| N-HeFT™ plans to disseminate the program to other facilities by providing a “Train the Trainer” component with a training manual and supporting tools along with consulting support for implementation. The outline below provides a brief overview. |
Why Heart Failure?
- Heart Failure affects nearly 5.3 million Americans with an estimated 660,000 new cases each year, especially older adults.
- It is the most frequent hospital discharge diagnosis for Medicare patients.
- It is the most expensive health care problem in the United States.
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Current Gaps in Care
- Newer medications are underutilized or inappropriate for frail elderly
- Poor communication leads to failed discharge instructions
- Effective disease management programs are not being used
How can the gaps be closed?
- Adopt best-practice heart failure care by implementing a disease management program
- Strengthen the plan with education, commitment, and resources
- Utilize an interdisciplinary team led by a coordinator and champions
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Model Program Elements
- Education is tailored to individual LTC, SNF
- Multidisciplinary team facilitates implementation of protocols
- HF champions manage protocols and teach team members
- Collaborative network share best practices, resources and support
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Model Objectives
- Review baseline performance data
- Recruit champions in each department
- Provide leadership training
- Provide protocols (standards) to improve care
- Provide heart failure education for champions
- Implement “Train the Trainer” Program, protocols
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Bridge Components
I. Needs assessment
- Interview key personnel
- Pre and post test
- Confidence survey
II. Implementation
- Introduce leadership
- Identify and educate champions
- Select protocols
- Train champions and implement protocols
- Utilize champions to train staff
III. Evaluation: patient outcomes
- Improved medication management
- Improved patient education and compliance with treatment plan
- Improved communication
- Decrease in hospitalization
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