PASADENA, Md. -- Hospice of the Chesapeake, in collaboration with the American Heart Association (AHA) and the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) announces the Advanced Cardiac Care Program to address one of the nation's largest killers of Americans - heart disease.
Each year, more Americans die from heart disease than any other condition, including cancer. Heart disease is also a leading cause of hospitalization: patients with congestive heart failure alone account for more than one million inpatient admissions annually.
Available for immediate use, the program's patient and caregiver guide helps avert multiple hospital and emergency room visits that are a huge source of stress for the patient, their family, and the medical facility.
"By offering heart disease patients the right educational resources, we empower them to take control of their health," Hospice of the Chesapeake Vice President of Medical Affairs & Hospice Medical Director Dr. Sonja Richmond said. "The resources available through the Advanced Cardiac Care Program can help patients and caregivers better manage their condition, reducing the likelihood of hospital visits and improving their quality of life."
"It is a complete and unnecessary tragedy that only five percent of heart failure patients who are discharged from the hospital ever utilize in-home hospice services," said Carole Fisher, President of NPHI. "Far too many die alone in a hospital or nursing facility, when instead our hospice teams could care for them wherever they reside and they could enjoy a far higher quality of life surrounded by loved ones."
To learn more about the program and for copies of the guide, visit www.hospicechesapeake.org/cardiac.