The Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies Group (GICC) publishes a white paper on heart failure to improve the management of this disease.
- Heart failure is the inability of the heart muscle to normally perform its role of propelling blood through the body.
- It can occur in the evolution of a myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, hypertension…
“We are aware of the obstacles to be lifted to improve the care pathway for patients in the management of heart failure. The solutions offered are all assets to optimize the care pathway and the quality of the care provided”. During a press conference, Doctor Florence Beauvais, cardiologist at AP-HP-GRU Lariboisière in Paris, Professor Thibaud Damy, cardiologist at AP-HP-GHU Mondor in Créteil and Mr. Philippe Muller, President of the association Support for Heart Failure (SIC), presented a new white paper, intended to improve the management of heart failure in France.
In France, more than 1.5 million people suffer from heart failure; a figure that increases by 25% every 4 years, in particular because of the aging of the population. “Heart failure is therefore a public health issue through its impact on the health of the French, but also through its medico-economic cost”, explains the GICC. The experts have thus identified four areas for improving the management of this disease.
Fight against diagnostic error
The diagnostic error induces a delay in the management of patients with heart failure and rare or hereditary cardiomyopathies. “It is essential to better inform the general public and caregivers through information or screening campaigns and to extend training to more health professionals. We must also guarantee access to genetic testing in hereditary heart disease on all the territory”, add the experts.
Optimize patient care
The GICC also wants to create a specific care channel for heart failure, which should make it possible to direct patients to dedicated structures by developing a territorial network. “Patients must be able to benefit from a care offer adapted to their severity and their needs”, say health professionals.
Develop coordinated, multidisciplinary and multi-professional care
“We must develop a coordinated multidisciplinary and multi-professional care of the heart failure patient in order to allow better care (treatment, telemonitoring, rehabilitation…) adapted to their cardiac impairment and their comorbidities”also recommend the GICC. “The development of new paramedical professions is essential to achieve this, with the creation of nurses specializing in heart failure (ISPIC)”, say the experts.
Propose an alternative to hospitalization
The number of beds in hospitals will not be able to take care of all future patients. “We must therefore offer alternatives to conventional hospitalization for cardiac decompensation. New modes of outpatient hospitalization or hospitalization at home (HAD) are to be invented”, doctors analyze. “Associating these new modes with remote monitoring, teleconsultation and coordination by ISPICS nurses will guarantee the supply of care”, they think. Several experiments are currently being carried out on the territory to go in this direction.
“Finally and of course, maintaining the quality of care for all these new patients will be based on all therapeutic or diagnostic innovations and on the sharing of information between the actors (medical file)”, concludes the IPCC.
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