In April 2024, the Heart Failure Policy Network hosted a pivotal event in heart failure advocacy – the third international Heart Failure Policy Summit.
The virtual event was a unique global showcase for leaders from policy, academia, patient advocacy and clinical settings to discuss the latest national and international advances in heart failure care and policy change.
The 2024 Summit took place at an exciting time, when advances in research and treatment options and the advent of novel technologies are promising to reshape the landscape of heart failure care. A renewed focus on long-term sustainability in the context of healthy ageing and increased political attention on cardiovascular disease bring new political opportunities to argue the societal case for investment.
Our two sessions featured discussions among experts in policy and practice, with an emphasis on sustainable health system transformation.
The Summit provided heart failure champions from all sectors – from across the world – with an inspirational, relevant and highly effective discussion on what our goals must be to achieve better heart failure care for all. We showcased the key pioneers, arguments, opportunities and political developments that every committed advocate in heart failure needs to know about.
The 2024 Summit featured two online sessions:
The first session outlined how heart failure can be positioned as a strategic priority for building sustainable health systems. Expert speakers discussed ways to make a compelling business case for investing in heart failure care and how to link heart failure to the most pressing policy debates of 2024, including sustainability, value and equity.
This session showcased successful advocacy efforts, offering insight into securing government support for better heart failure diagnosis and care. There were panel discussions on achieving equitable access to NP testing, including case study examples from Lithuania and Greece and an introduction to the European Society for Cardiology’s Peptides for Life initiative. The session also covered trailblazing heart failure advocacy initiatives, such as Italy’s example of working with national health agencies to promote the roll-out of telemedicine for heart failure care; Canada’s National Heart Failure Policy Action Framework, with tangible targets for decision-makers; and BeatHF, the UK’s first national public awareness campaign for heart failure.
For full details about this year’s speakers, please see the speaker biographies.
Welcome from the Heart Failure Policy Network
Keynote: the Spanish Cardiovascular Strategy
Keynote: Italy’s vision for managing chronic disease
How can the European Union transform cardiovascular health?
The potential of national cardiovascular health plans: insights from Romania
Embedding quality heart failure care in policy
Insights from the PORTHOS study: evidencing the burden of heart failure
Italy’s new vision for implementing chronic heart failure management
Driving change through a Heart Failure Policy Framework
Raising awareness of heart failure through public campaigns: BEAT-HF
Securing equitable access to natriuretic peptide testing
Discussion: led by Ed Harding, Network Director, HFPN
Featuring:
Q&A: led by Ed Harding, Network Director, Heart Failure Policy Network
The second session explored cutting-edge developments in heart failure clinical science, the real-world implementation of novel heart failure care models, and their implications for governments and for people living with heart failure.
Attendees heard from experts at the forefront of heart failure prevention, care and scientific research, and learn about the latest innovations in detecting and managing heart failure.
The session also highlighted transformative work by leading heart failure advocates and their real-world impact on patient outcomes and care delivery. Attendees received updates on major heart failure policy initiatives, including the work of Global Heart Hub’s Heart Failure Patient Council, and national strategies such as the Dutch Deltaplan, which has been designed to enhance awareness and collaboration. Our experts explored innovative care models accelerating heart failure diagnosis in community settings, featuring AI-powered care pathway transformations and specialised screening hubs in unique venues, such as football clubs.
Additionally, the session featured a focused conversation on the vital role of specialist nursing in sustainable heart failure care, and explored the steps needed to strengthen the role.
For full details about this year’s speakers, please see the speaker biographies.
Welcome from the HFPN
Keynote: New horizons in heart failure care
What could be gained through a heart failure research agenda?
Q&A: led by Ed Harding, Network Director, Heart Failure Policy Network
How to encourage political leadership in heart failure: advocacy spotlight
How can we accelerate diagnosis in the community?
Specialist nursing as a key component of sustainable heart failure care
Q&A: led by Ed Harding, Network Director, Heart Failure Policy Network
The HFPN Secretariat would like to thank the following sponsors for supporting the Summit:
The 2024 Heart Failure Policy Summit is sponsored by AstraZeneca and Roche Diagnostics. Full editorial control of agenda development, all Summit materials and sessions (including speaker management) lies with the HFPN Secretariat, guided by the Steering Committee and Summit Project Advisory Group. Sponsors have provided input to the Summit’s agenda, which was developed by the HFPN Secretariat.
