Acute-care hospitals in Kentucky and Indiana collaborated with Health Care Excel, the Medicare peer review organization, to improve the care of patients admitted with heart failure. Current guidelinesfor the treatment of heart failure support a focus on quality indicators including confirmation of diagnosis, choice of therapeutic agents, education ofpatients and their caregivers, and discharge planning. Significant improvement occurred in use of diagnostic tests to confirm diagnosis and in patient education and discharge planning. Improvement in use of therapeutic agents was minimal or lacking in most hospitals. Thisprojectdemonstrated an opportunity and needfor continued improvement efforts in the care of heart failure patients.
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