Abstract 11703: In-Patient Heart Failure Education Program Associated With Improvement in Patient Reported Knowledge and Decrease in Readmission Rate

Abstract

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a progressive syndrome characterized by high mortality, lower quality of life and frequent hospitalizations. A major component of the economic and societal burden imposed by HF remains recurrent hospitalizations, with 30-days readmission rates of 27% nationally. We conducted a quality improvement project at our hospital with the aim to evaluate the impact of a structured nurse-led heart failure education program on patient’s heart failure disease management knowledge, discharge follow-up, and 30-days hospital readmission. Method: Our cohorts included adult patients admitted with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure and successfully completed a structured heart failure education based on the American Heart Association Heart Failure Education guide. Patient also completed a pre-and-posttest to assess their level of understanding of heart disease management which included self-monitoring behaviors. Results: Between March and June 2021, 41 patients participated in the heart failure education session. The mean pre-test and post-test score was 58% versus 74%, with an average improvement of 16% in participants knowledge about heart failure disease management and self-care. Overwhelming majority of the patients (85%) were satisfied with their heart failure education. Eighty-Five percent of the participants had hospital follow-up appointment scheduled within seven days and 76% of them were compliant with follow-up. These patients had a lower 30-day readmission rate at 15% compared to our centers current rate at 21%. Conclusion: This retrospective, single-center observation study found that a structured inpatient heart failure educational program was associated with patients reported improvement in HF disease management knowledge. We observed a reduction in heart failure related hospital readmission compared to our center’s average and the national average. There was also an improvement in 7-day discharge follow up.