Organizational and Economic Aspects of the Management of Congestive Heart Failure

Abstract

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a major public health problem; in the United States nearly 5 million patients are affected by CHF, and nearly 500,000 patients are diagnosed with CHF for the first time each year [1]. This disorder is the underlying reason for a million office visits and hospital days each year; moreover, nearly 300,000 patients die of CHF as a primary or contributory cause each year, and the number of deaths has increased steadily despite advances in treatment [1].