Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Home care agencies are under pressure to deliver high-quality care with outcomes that demonstrate reduced patient rehospitalization. One approach found to be successful in reducing rehospitalization of heart failure patients is front loading visits. Our recent study showed front loading was effective for patients with heart failure, dramatically decreasing rehospitalization by more than one half (30.4% to 16%). Other methods utilized to enhance front loading are supplementation of visits with telehealth and/or telemonitoring and the use of established care paths. This article discusses the many challenges home care agencies face in implementing redesign and these best practice measures.

Keywords

front loading heart failure interrater reliability telephone assessment visit guidelines

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Charlson, M.E. , Pompei, P. , Ales, K.L. , & MacKenzie, C.R. (1987). A new method of classifying prognostic co-morbidity in longitudinal studies: Development and validation . Journal of Chronic Disease, 40, 373-383.

Konick-McMahan, J. , & McKenna, C. (2003). Heart failure in older adults: Providing nursing care to improve outcomes. Journal of Gerontological Nursing , 29(12), 35-41.

Madigan E.A. , & Fortinsky, R.H. (2004). Interrater reliability of the outcomes and assessment information set: Results from the field. Gerontologist, 44(5), 689-692.

Madigan, E.A. , Schott, D. , & Mathews, C.R. (2001). Rehospitalization among home healthcare patients with heart failure. Home Healthcare Nurse, 19(5), 298-305.

Medicare Quality Improvement Community. (2007 ) ACH clinical resource kit. Available at: http://www.medqic.org/dcs/ContentServer?cid=1157485199261&pagename=Medqic%2FMQTools%2FToolTemplate&c=MQTools.

Pace, K.B. , & Johnson, K.E. (2006). Quality improvement in home health care. American Journal of Nursing, 106(1), 38.

Rogers, J. , Perlic, M. , & Madigan, E.A. (2007). The Effects of Frontloading Visits on Patient Outcomes. Home Healthcare Nurse, 25(2), 103-109.

Rogers, M.A. , Perlic, M. , & Madigan, E.A. (2007). The effect of frontloading visits on patient outcomes . Home Healthcare Nurse, 25(2), 103-109.

Taft, S.H. , Pierce, C.A. , & Gallo, C.L. (2005). From hospital to home and back again: A study in hospital admissions and deaths for home care patients. Home Health Care Management & Practice, 17(6), 467-480.

10.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2006). State and county quick facts. Available at http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/53000.html.

Front Loading Visits: A Best Practice Measure to Decrease Rehospitalization in Heart Failure Patients

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References