If you have experienced heart failure or you have a family member or friend who's suffered from this disease, you and your family may be dealing with difficult medical challenges, emotions, and decisions. Living with heart failure takes courage, persistence, and support.
Mission Hospital's Heart Failure Program provides carefully coordinated care during and after hospitalization. It is designed to ensure that patients receive evidence-based treatments and continue with the followup care that is essential to prevent complications and maintain optimal health. Our multi-disciplinary team works together to diagnose and treat the underlying causes of heart failure. We provide education and support to patients and their caregivers, and partner with patients in their management of heart failure.
Participation in a structured heart failure program like the one at Mission has been shown to decrease complications from heart failure, prevent emergency department visits, reduce hospitalizations, and improve quality of life for patients.
Many people first become involved in the Mission Heart Failure program when they are hospitalized for treatment of heart failure. Others become involved through treatment at Asheville Cardiology Associates, or by referral from their primary care provider. Ask your provider if you think the Heart Failure Program would be helpful to you.
Inpatient care
At Mission, a designated 10-bed unit in the Owen Heart Center is established specifically for the care of patients with heart failure. Daily rounding with each patient by the multidisciplinary heart failure team helps ensure coordinated care and planning. This team provides close monitoring, meets acute medical needs, and assures appropriate support is in place before he or she leaves the hospital.
The Heart Failure team includes:
- Physicians (Cardiology, Electrophysiology, Cardiac Surgeons, Internal Medicine and Family Practice)
- Physician Assistant trained in heart failure care
- Cardiovascular nurses trained in heart failure care
- Pharmacist
- Heart failure Case Managers
- Social worker
- Dietician
- Cardiac rehabilitation nurses
- Palliative care providers
Treatment Options
All patients are considered for advanced therapies that can improve heart function and reduce the risk of hospitalization and death.
These include:
- Surgical replacement or repair of diseased heart valves
- Catheter-based and surgical treatment of coronary artery blockages
- Controlling rapid or irregular heart rhythms with medication or catheter ablation. This includes cardio resynchronization therapy, which studies released in early 2011 show may be especially effective for many women.
- Implantation of pacemakers that improve heart function
We also provide screening and treatment of other conditions which may aggravate heart failure such as sleep apnea and depression.
Education and support
Education begins in the hospital through Mission's Heart Path program. It continues in the outpatient Heart Failure Clinic, with additional education at Heart Path, and when indicated, with enrollment in the Heart Path supervised exercise program. It includes:
- Causes and symptoms of heart failure
- Diet and exercise
- Medications and their actions
- Managing symptoms and stress
Assistance with home care, social, and financial needs is available as well.
The outpatient Heart Failure Clinic
An essential part of heart failure management is prompt followup care after hospitalization. Participation in a structured Heart Failure Program has been shown to decrease complications from heart failure and to reduce costly and preventable emergency department visits and hospitalizations.
At Mission, people who are hospitalized for heart failure are scheduled to be seen within five to seven days of discharge in the Heart Failure Clinic located at Asheville Cardiology Associates office in Asheville.
The clinic is led by nurses and physician assistants who specialize in the management and treatment of heart failure. The goal of the clinic is to provide the necessary resources to the patient and family to reduce the chance of preventable hospital re-admissions and maintain the best possible quality of life.
Case management services are available there to help with home care and transitional needs.
Pharmacists who specialize in the use of heart failure medications are available to help with education and getting financial help with medications if needed.
Patients in the Heart Failure Clinic receive regular educational sessions at Heart Path, Mission Hospital's medically supervised, state and nationally certified cardiac rehabilitation program. Educators discuss optimal diet and exercise to maintain good health.
Staff at the Heart Failure Clinic work closely with the patient's primary health care provider and /or cardiologist, whether in Asheville or in the region.
Heart Support Group
A free Heart Support Group in Asheville provides people living with heart failure and heart conditions with education and a community of people who face similar challenges.
- First Tuesdays of each month, 2 to 4 pm
- Asheville Cardiology Associates, 5 Vanderbilt Park, Asheville
Call 828-274-6000 for more information.
