Congestive Heart Failure Program

The Congestive Heart Failure Program at St. Joseph's provides comprehensive disease management
services for both inpatients and outpatients who have been diagnosed with heart failure. Originated as a result
of increasing heart failure admission numbers and the unique needs associated with this patient population, the program offers the following services:

Inpatient education and exercise - Inpatient education and exercise management options are provided for all heart failure admissions by a registered nurse heart failure clinician.

Telemedicine management - Telemetric management with followup at 7 to 10 days after discharge is provided for all patients who are admitted with heart failure. This allows our heart failure experts to identify patients who may be having recurring symptoms and questions about their medication regimen or disease management. This service is intended to prevent patients from being re-admitted to the hospital.

Outpatient exercise-rehabilitation - Qualified patients are eligible to attend nurse-supervised exercise sessions three days a week. The sessions usually last two to three months, and in most instances are reimbursed in all or part by insurance. A tailored exercise regimen and medical management plan is developed with physician collaboration to help facilitate recovery and improve quality of life.

Enhanced External Counter Pulsation (EECP) - EECP is an outpatient therapy available for patients who have chronic disabling angina (chest pain) and who are not a candidate for surgery or other invasive procedures. EECP is a non-invasive outpatient treatment in which pressure cuffs are wrapped around the patient's legs and are then inflated with compressed air to apply external pressure to the lower body in order to propel the blood back to the heart. Covered by most insurance plans, the course of treatment is typically 35 one-hour individual sessions at a rate of five days a week over a seven-week period.

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