American Heart Association Launches Virtual Care Program to Reduce Heart Failure Readmissions
The American Heart Association's new Connected Care program addresses critical gaps in post-discharge heart failure care through remote monitoring technology, aiming to reduce hospital readmissions and improve long-term patient outcomes.
With chronic disease rates rising across the United States, healthcare systems face ongoing challenges in reducing hospital stays and readmissions. Nearly one in four heart failure patients is readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge, and fewer than 20% receive all four guideline-directed medical therapy pillars post-discharge, despite strong evidence showing these therapies improve patient outcomes.
The American Heart Association has developed American Heart Association Connected Care™, Powered by Cadence, a virtual care program that delivers ongoing heart and cardiometabolic care to patients at home after their hospital stay. Hospitals can refer eligible patients to the Connected Care program prior to discharge, with the Association working with participating hospitals to integrate the program into discharge workflows.
"Our legacy is built on bringing science to life and meeting people where they are to reimagine how healthcare is delivered," said John Meiners, chief of mission-aligned businesses at the American Heart Association. "By combining advanced remote patient monitoring technology with our expertise in guideline-directed care and chronic condition management, we can help extend the high-quality care hospitals provide."
The Association spearheaded this collaboration with Cadence to extend the reach of its trusted science into homes and communities, utilizing Cadence's remote platform and 24/7 virtual provider group. Cadence enrolls patients in the program, teaching them how to use their devices, monitoring vital sign readings and providing ongoing clinical support.
Research published in Circulation: Heart Failure shows concerning trends in readmission rates, while another study in the same journal highlights disparities in guideline-directed medical therapy optimization for heart failure patients. These findings underscore the urgent need for innovative solutions like remote patient monitoring.
"Hospitals struggle to extend consistent, evidence-based care once patients leave their doors," said Chris Altchek, chief executive officer and founder of Cadence. "By pairing the American Heart Association's gold-standard scientific guidelines with Cadence's AI-driven remote monitoring and always-on care team, American Heart Association Connected Care makes proactive, personalized heart-failure support available anytime, anywhere."
The program aims to reduce 30-day readmissions for people with heart failure by providing peace of mind and timely interventions, support heart failure patients from hospital admission through safe discharge and recovery at home, and bring care to more communities by delivering personalized support beyond hospital walls.
Dr. Marat Fudim, associate professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, emphasized the program's potential impact: "With timely interventions and evidence-based support, remote patient monitoring allows us to bridge that gap by keeping a close eye on patients' health while they're at home, avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations and achieving better long-term outcomes."
The Connected Care pilot program is currently underway at four hospitals across the United States, representing a significant step toward addressing the projected doubling of people living with chronic illness from 2020 to 2050. Rooted in a century of innovative scientific breakthroughs and trusted clinical guidelines, Connected Care offers patients timely, remote care and support to help them adhere to treatment plans and adopt heart-healthy habits.