Comprehensive heart failure networks to support integrated care

In 2016, the German Cardiac Society launched the HF-NET programme to link hospital and outpatient heart failure services through a system of accreditation.¹ To join the programme, healthcare providers must apply to the Society for accreditation as:

• a heart failure practice (typically an outpatient heart failure service led by cardiologists)
• a heart failure hospital (typically a local or district hospital with a multidisciplinary heart failure team)
• a heart failure supra-regional centre (typically an academic hospital equipped to care for complex or advanced heart failure).²

Accredited centres in the same region are connected within an HF network (HF-NET) through the implementation of care pathways and standard operating procedures.² Accreditation is renewed every three to five years.

As of October 2020, the HF-NET programme has accredited 51 heart failure practices, 42 heart failure hospitals and 34 heart failure supra-regional centres.³ Notable challenges for the programme have included the recruitment of sufficient heart failure practices to expand the coverage of HF-NETs, and the implementation of standardised protocols and IT systems to support multidisciplinary and integrated ongoing care.⁴

References

1. Ertl G, Angermann CE, Bekeredjian R, et al. 2016. Aufbau und Organisation von Herzinsuffizienz-Netzwerken (HF‑NETs) und Herzinsuffizienz-Einheiten („Heart Failure Units“, HFUs) zur Optimierung der Behandlung der akuten und chronischen Herzinsuffizienz. Der Kardiologe 10(4): 222-35
2. Seferović PM, Piepoli MF, Lopatin Y, et al. 2020. Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology Quality of Care Centres Programme: design and accreditation document. European Journal of Heart Failure 22(5): 763-74
3. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kardiologie. 2020. Zertifizierung als Heart Failure Unit (HFU). [Updated 18/06/20]. Available from: https://hfu.dgk.org/ [Accessed 19/06/20]
4. Störk S. 2020. Interview with Marissa Mes and Sara C Marques at The Health Policy Partnership (Secretariat for Heart Failure Policy Network) [videoconference]. 21/08/20