TriHealth Bridge

October 17, 2022

Hospice of Cincinnati Among First in Nation to Receive American Heart Association Certification in End-of-Life Care for Heart Failure Patients

Kudos to Hospice of Cincinnati on becoming one of the first organizations in the nation to earn Palliative/Hospice Heart Failure Certification from the American Heart Association®! The certification provides an evidence-based framework for evaluating palliative and hospice care agencies against the American Heart Association’s rigorous science-based standards for heart failure patients.

“Hospice of Cincinnati is proud to receive this certification from the American Heart Association,” said Gayle Mattson, President and CEO of HOC Navigators. “This accomplishment reflects our commitment to quality excellence and assures that patients and families receive end-of-life heart failure care that follows the latest evidence-based guidelines.”

The certification builds upon the implementation of Hospice of Cincinnati’s Advanced Cardiac Care Program (ACCP) in April 2021. ACCP addresses the unique end-of-life needs of people with advanced cardiac disease. According to the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), most advanced cardiac patients prefer to receive end-of-life care at home. However, NPHI reports that only 5% of heart failure patients discharged from the hospital use in-home hospice services.

Since its implementation, the ACCP has had a significant impact on preventing unnecessary emergency department visits and inpatient stays. The ACCP has shown a 23.3% reduction in hospitalization rates in the last 30 days of life, 50% reduction in ED visits in the last 30 days of life, and death at home versus in the hospital setting increased by 365%. Patients and their caregivers have expressed gratitude for patients being able to live out their remaining days at home more comfortably, with fewer emergency medical interventions and surrounded by the people and things that they love.

The AHA certification signifies confidence that:

  • Hospice of Cincinnati’s heart failure program uses a standardized method of delivering services based on current standards aligned with the American Heart Association science,
  • Hospice of Cincinnati adheres to evidence-based requirements to improve care and quality of life for heart failure patients, and
  • Hospice of Cincinnati is recognized by the American Heart Association based on professional evaluation criteria designed by heart failure and home care experts.

    • Congratulations to the Hospice of Cincinnati Team!

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