Heart Failure And Readmission Rates 519948

Heart Failure And Readmission Rates 1heart Failure And R

Running Head Heart Failure And Readmission Rates1heart Failure And R

HEART FAILURE AND READMISSION RATES 2 Heart Failure and Readmission Rates Student's Name Institution As a future family nurse practitioner, some adaptations have to be made to effect change in healthcare. Moreover, an advanced practice nurse with a doctorate or master's complies with the AACN (American Association of Colleges of Nursing) research to promote public health through discovery and propagation of knowledge effectively. The area of concern in this study researched and proven in this study is the existence of heart failure. About 5.7 million Americans suffer from heart failure, which is directly linked to considerable health care costs and deaths. Research shows that congestive heart failure is one the highest and, in most cases, the leading cause of hospital readmission.

Unintended hospital admissions add extra costs to patients, and heart failure (HF) is a significant cause. Further research shows that HF patients who are readmitted experience fragmentation of care, such as failure to adhere to medications when discharged from the hospital. Socioeconomic factors, including ethnic background, race, and marital status, impact the likelihood of readmission differently. Medical practitioners may sometimes contribute to readmissions through incompetence; however, HF patients are often prone to readmissions due to discontinuity in medication adherence. Therefore, important measures should be implemented to address these issues. Congestive heart failure is a condition where the ventricles’ ability to fill with blood is insufficient, leading to decreased cardiac output and inability to sustain metabolic needs.

Research methodologies included utilizing the South University online library, specifically the school of nursing program. Using keywords such as "heart failure" and "readmission," recent studies from scholarly journals were identified for review. Heart failure is the leading cause of readmissions among Medicare recipients.

According to Damiani et al. (2015), cardiovascular diseases not only dominate hospital readmissions but also cause significant disability. The review incorporated both hand searching and electronic database searches. The primary causes examined were heart failure and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Of eleven articles reviewed, socioeconomic factors such as marital status, race, and ethnicity significantly influenced readmission rates; 63.6% of short-term outcomes indicated these factors played a critical role (Gupta et al., 2018).

The study population primarily included older adults aged 65 and above. Managing heart failure in this demographic involves substantial healthcare costs, with hospital admissions accounting for roughly 6.5 million hospital days and healthcare expenditures reaching $37.2 billion annually in the United States (Okunji et al., 2017). Extended hospital stays are directly associated with increased costs and often result from varying quality of care and patient responses to treatment. Inadequate treatment or medication errors by healthcare providers can precipitate deterioration in patient health.

A study by Ruppar et al. (2016) indicates that non-adherence to prescribed HF medications leads to adverse outcomes and higher readmission and mortality rates. Their analysis revealed that medication adherence interventions significantly improve patient outcomes, reducing both mortality risks and the likelihood of readmission. The importance of these interventions underscores the role of nursing in improving compliance and health outcomes.

The Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), established under the Affordable Care Act of 2010, aims to reduce recurrent hospitalizations by penalizing hospitals with high readmission rates for conditions like HF, AMI, and pneumonia (Gupta et al., 2018). Since 2012, HF readmissions have been a primary target for penalties. These financial penalties incentivize hospitals to improve care quality; however, they can also unintentionally delay necessary medical care, as some hospitals may avoid admitting complex HF patients to mitigate penalties.

Such measures, while beneficial in reducing overall readmission statistics, raise concerns regarding patient care equity and access. For example, some hospitals might redirect HF patients to other facilities, which could compromise continuity and quality of care. The focus on 30-day readmission rates highlights the need for effective transition programs that ensure patients receive appropriate follow-up care and medication management post-discharge.

Socioeconomic and demographic factors such as race, ethnicity, and income significantly influence the risk of rehospitalization. These disparities can be addressed through care transition programs tailored to vulnerable populations, emphasizing medication adherence, patient education, and improved communication between healthcare providers and patients. Nursing professionals play a crucial role in implementing these programs, fostering patient engagement, and ensuring adherence to self-care regimens.

Practical interventions, including patient education, medication management, telehealth follow-ups, and community-based support, have demonstrated efficacy in reducing readmission and mortality rates associated with HF (Ruppar et al., 2016). Advanced practice nurses, such as family nurse practitioners, are particularly positioned to advocate for and implement these interventions as part of comprehensive discharge planning. Continuous patient education about medication adherence and symptom management can significantly decrease the risk of decompensation and subsequent hospitalization.

In conclusion, preventing hospital readmissions among HF patients requires a multifaceted approach that addresses medical, socioeconomic, and systemic factors. Improved care coordination, targeted patient education, adherence to evidence-based guidelines, and health policy reforms are vital for reducing recurrent hospitalizations. Family nurse practitioners, as frontline providers, can influence these outcomes by developing personalized care plans that emphasize self-management, medication adherence, and social support. Such efforts will not only improve individual health outcomes but also reduce healthcare costs associated with frequent hospital readmissions, aligning with broader health system goals of quality and sustainability.

References

• Damiani, G., Salvatori, E., Silvestrini, G., Ivanova, I., Bojovic, L., Iodice, L., & Ricciardi, W. (2015). Influence of socioeconomic factors on hospital readmissions for heart failure and acute myocardial infarction in patients 65 years and older: evidence from a systematic review. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 10, 237-245.
• Gupta, A., Allen, L. A., Bhatt, D. L., Cox, M., DeVore, A. D., Heidenreich, P. A., & Fonarow, G. C. (2018). Association of the hospital readmissions reduction program implementation with readmission and mortality outcomes in heart failure. JAMA Cardiology, 3(1), 44-53.
• Okunji, P., JS, N., NM, E., SG, K., TV, F., & TO, O. (2017). Descriptive Characteristics of Patients Hospitalized with Congestive Heart Failure: A Brief Summary. International Journal of Nursing & Clinical Practices, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.15344/2017/249
• Ruppar, T. M., Cooper, P. S., Mehr, D. R., Delgado, J. M., & Dunbar-Jacob, J. M. (2016). Medication adherence interventions improve heart failure mortality and readmission rates: systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials. Journal of the American Heart Association, 5(6), e002606.