American Heart Association Launches Virtual Care Program to Reduce Heart Failure Readmissions
TL;DR
The American Heart Association and Cadence's Connected Care program offers hospitals a strategic advantage by reducing costly 30-day readmissions through remote patient monitoring.
The program integrates remote monitoring devices, AI-driven analytics, and 24/7 clinical support to ensure patients adhere to guideline-directed therapies post-discharge.
This initiative improves access to quality healthcare for vulnerable heart failure patients, reducing hospitalizations and promoting longer, healthier lives in communities nationwide.
Four hospitals are piloting this innovative virtual care program that uses cutting-edge technology to monitor patients' health from home in real-time.
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The American Heart Association has developed American Heart Association Connected Care™, Powered by Cadence, a virtual care program designed to deliver ongoing heart and cardiometabolic care to patients at home following hospital discharge. This initiative addresses the critical challenge of heart failure readmissions, where nearly 1 in 4 patients returns to the hospital within 30 days of discharge, and fewer than 20% receive all four guideline-directed medical therapy pillars post-discharge despite evidence showing these therapies improve outcomes.
Hospitals can refer eligible patients to the Connected Care program prior to discharge, with the Association working to integrate the program into discharge workflows. Cadence enrolls patients, teaches device usage, monitors vital sign readings, and provides ongoing clinical support. The collaboration combines the American Heart Association's scientific guidelines with Cadence's remote platform and 24/7 virtual provider group, extending evidence-based care beyond hospital walls.
John Meiners, chief of mission-aligned businesses at the American Heart Association, stated that the program combines advanced remote patient monitoring technology with expertise in guideline-directed care to ensure people with heart failure receive proactive, timely support at home. Chris Altchek, chief executive officer and founder of Cadence, emphasized that the partnership addresses hospitals' struggle to extend consistent care after discharge by making personalized heart-failure support available anytime, anywhere through AI-driven monitoring.
The program aims to reduce 30-day readmissions by providing peace of mind and timely interventions, support patients from admission through recovery at home, and bring care to more communities by delivering personalized support. Research cited in the announcement shows concerning trends, including the expectation that chronic illness rates will double from 2020 to 2050, highlighting the growing need for scalable solutions like remote patient care.
Dr. Marat Fudim, a heart failure cardiologist at Duke University Medical Center, noted that remote patient monitoring allows clinicians to bridge the gap between hospital discharge and recovery by keeping close watch on patients' health at home, avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations and achieving better long-term outcomes. The program is rooted in scientific breakthroughs and clinical guidelines, offering patients support to adhere to treatment plans and adopt heart-healthy habits.
A pilot program is currently underway at four hospitals: Texas Health Allen in Texas, Rutherford Regional Medical Center in North Carolina, Frye Regional Medical Center in North Carolina, and Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in California. Additional information about the program is available at https://www.heart.org/ahaconnectedcare. Research supporting the program's approach can be found in publications such as https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.121.008335 and https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.124.012357.
Curated from NewMediaWire
