Case study from Heart failure policy and practice in Europe

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Testing a comprehensive model of heart failure care

17 November, 2020

In 2018, the Polish Cardiac Society (Polskie Towarzystwo Kardiologiczne) proposed a multidisciplinary, continuous and coordinated heart failure care model to ensure high-quality care for all people living with heart failure.1 The model, called Comprehensive Care for Patients with Heart Failure (KONS), was approved by the Ministry of Health for implementation as a two-year pilot across six centres, reaching over 5,000 people.2 Funding was provided through the budget for coordinated primary care.1

KONS aims to provide coordinated care to people with heart failure following hospitalisation, who are at high risk of destabilisation and hospital readmission.3 The model comprises ambulatory, hospital and home care coordinated by a team consisting of a general practitioner (GP), nurse, cardiologist and other specialists. It involves pharmacological treatment as well as access to cardiac rehabilitation services, dietary advice, psychological support and surgical procedures, if needed. Telemedicine will be used to improve coordination between GPs and cardiologists.

If successful, implementation of KONS on a national scale was planned for 2021,4 but experts report that the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed progression of this initiative.5 6 It is unclear how this will affect completion of the KONS trial and its wider roll-out.

References

  1. Nessler J, Kozierkiewicz A, Gackowski A, et al. 2019. Comprehensive Heart Failure Care pilot study: starting point and expected developments. Kardiologia Polska 77: 994-99
  2. Łuszczyńska K. 2018. [The Minister of Health inaugurated the pilot of Comprehensive Care for People with Heart Failure (KONS)]. [Updated 07/12/2018]. Available from: https://www.gov.pl/web/zdrowie/minister-zdrowia-zainaugurowal-pilotaz-kompleksowej-opieki-nad-osobami-z-niewydolnoscia-serca-kons [Accessed 13/08/2020]
  3. Nessler J, Zalewski J, Kozierkiewicz A, et al. 2018. Projekt programu kompleksowej opieki nad chorymi z niewydolnością serca (KONS). Kardiologia Inwazyjna 13(6): 10-17-10-17
  4. Krówczyńska D. 2020. Interview with Stephanie Whelan at The Health Policy Partnership (Secretariat for Heart Failure Policy Network) [Written]. 17/09/2020
  5. Straburzyńska-Migaj E. 2020. Interview with Stephanie Whelan at The Health Policy Partnership (Secretariat for Heart Failure Policy Network) [Videoconference]. 11/09/2020
  6. Uchmanowicz I. 2020. Interview with Stephanie Whelan at The Health Policy Partnership (Secretariat for Heart Failure Policy Network) [Videoconference]. 11/09/2020
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The Heart Failure Policy Network is an independent, multidisciplinary platform made possible with financial support from AstraZeneca and Roche Diagnostics. The content produced by the Network is not biased toward any specific treatment or therapy. All outputs are guided and endorsed by the Network’s members. All members provide their time for free. The Network is hosted by The Health Policy Partnership .