Patient-Centered Approach to Heart Failure Management: Transforming Care Delivery

Abstract

The burden of heart failure morbidity and mortality on patients and the health-care system in Canada is constantly growing (Virani et al., Can J Cardiol. 33:1450–1454, 2017). In the past two decades, numerous trials and meta-analyses demonstrated the importance of multidisciplinary management and patient-centered care to decrease hospital admission rates, improve quality of life (QoL), and, importantly, reduce mortality of heart failure patients both in the acute care and outpatient setting (Ezekowitz et al., Can J Cardiol. 33(11):1342–1433, 2017; Masters et al., Open Heart. 4(1):e000547, 2017; McAlister et al., J Am Coll Cardiol. 44:810–819, 2004). This chapter explores the mandate of an interdisciplinary team for heart failure management, its responsibilities, and benefits, as well as its economic impacts on the health-care system. The institution of a dedicated heart failure team faces important barriers which will be discussed here. Despite those challenges, the future of heart failure management is promising and heading toward a more holistic approach based on shared decision-making.