Palliative Care for Heart Failure Patients

An Examination of Palliative Care as Standard Practice for Heart Failure Patients

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of palliative care consultation on quality of life and symptom management for patients hospitalized with acute heart failure with a randomized control trial at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

Research questions:

Q1. Does the provision of palliative care to heart failure patients yield higher quality of life, increased symptom management, or reduced depression compared to heart failure patients not receiving palliative care?

Q2. Does the provision of palliative care to heart failure patients result in differential use of medical services (lower hospital days and readmission) compared to heart failure patients not receiving systematic palliative care?

Inclusion Criteria:

• Abbott Northwestern Hospital inpatient adults with a diagnosis of acute heart failure

Exclusion Criteria:

• Are not an inpatient at Abbott Northwestern Hospital
• Are in the ICU
• On a ventilator
• Are pre-or post heart transplant
• Have a ventricular assist device (VAD)
• Determined to be actively dying
• Have cognitive impairments such that informed consent would not be possible,
• Are not proficient in the English language