AHA: Palliative Care Should Be Fully Integrated into Stroke Care

The health care community should integrate palliative care into all aspects of post-stroke treatments, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA). This should include interventions to address psychosocial health, navigating the health care system and preparation for end-of-life care when necessary, the statement indicated. The paper appeared in a recent […]

American Heart Association Affirms Importance of Palliative Care in Treating Cardiac Conditions

Multidisciplinary palliative care offers clear benefits to patients with cardiovascular disease, particularly when it comes to medication management and goals-of-care conversations. Palliative care with effective medication management, shared decision making and symptom management can help improve quality of life for heart disease patients, according to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) — […]

VIA Health Enhances Support for Hospice Patients with Heart Failure 

Hospice and palliative care provider VIA Health has long invested in disease-specific programs. Now, the North Carolina-based nonprofit is amplifying its support for congestive heart failure patients. Case in point, the organization recently achieved a Heart Failure Certification from the American Heart Association, which is evaluated in accordance with evidence-based standards designed to ensure high […]

How Palliative Care Can Benefit Heart Failure Patients

Health care providers can improve quality of life and reduce symptom burden for heart failure patients by integrating palliative principles and referring to specialists as needed. Heart failure is an increasingly common condition among the aging U.S. population. These patients often experience severe symptoms that can include shortness of breath, coughing, nausea, fatigue, pain and […]

Hospices Gear Up to Reach More Heart Failure Patients, Enhance Quality 

The incidence of end-stage heart failure is expected to rise throughout the next decade, and hospices are preparing to serve those patients when they become eligible. The number of people who suffer from heart failure is expected to rise by 46% between 2012 and 2023, the American Heart Association (AHA) reported. However, hospice utilization remains […]

NPHI, AHA Collaborate to Bring Hospice to Cardiac Patients

The National Partnership for Hospice Innovation (NPHI) and the American Heart Association (AHA) have begun collaborating on an initiative to increase access to hospice and palliative care for cardiac patients.  The two organizations have developed a Comprehensive Cardiac Care Guide to help spur public and clinician education about palliative care and hospice needs of cardiac […]

Compassionate Care Act Introduced in Senate to Expand Advance Care Planning

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) has introduced the Compassionate Care Act in the U.S. Senate. If enacted the bill would significantly expand federal resources to support advance care planning and end-of-life care decision making. The legislation would also finance public awareness campaigns about hospice and palliative care. The Compassionate Care Act would establish a nationwide public […]

Palliative Care for Heart Failure Patients Reduces Readmissions

Palliative care can be valuable for heart failure patients and may lower the risk of hospital readmissions, according to a recent report from the American Heart Association (AHA). With circulatory/heart conditions among the most common diagnoses for hospice patients, providers could benefit from incorporating palliative care into their service lines. The AHA report stated that […]