Impact and sustainability of a palliative care education module in patients with heart failure

Impact and sustainability of a palliative care education module in patients with heart failure
American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, by Shelley L. Thompson, DNP; Allison Lindgren, MSPAC; Jaime McDermott, DNP; Stephanie G. Barnes, MSN; Carolina D. Tennyson, DNP; Bradi Granger, PhD; 12/23
Approximately 6.7 million American adults are living with heart failure (HF). Current therapies are geared toward preventing progression and managing symptoms, as there is no cure. Multiple studies have shown the benefit of including palliative care (PC) in patients with HF to improve symptoms and quality of life. Heart failure guidelines recommend the inclusion of PC in therapy, but referrals are often delayed. A previous pilot project demonstrated increased involvement of PC when targeted education was given to patients with HF. This sustainable project again demonstrated education on PC increases utilization of PC but does not statistically impact mortality, re-admissions, or transfers to higher levels of care.