Long-term implications of a single home-based educational intervention in patients with heart failure

ObjectiveThe objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a single home-based educational intervention for patients admitted with heart failure.MethodsThere were 106 patients: 42 in the intervention group and 64 in the control group. Patients were randomly assigned to receive an intervention by nursing staff 1 week after discharge. Primary end points were readmissions, emergency department visits, deaths, costs, and quality of life.ResultsDuring the 24-month follow-up, there were fewer mean emergency department visits in the intervention group than in the control group (.68 vs 2.00; P = .000), fewer unplanned readmissions (.68 vs 1.71; P = .000), and lower costs (€671.56 = $974.63 = GBP598.42 per person vs €2,154.24 = $3,126.01 = GBP1,919.64; P = .001). There was a trend toward fewer out-of-hospital deaths (14 [46.6%] vs 31 [55.3%]; P = .45) and improvement in quality of life.ConclusionPatients with heart failure who receive a home-based educational intervention experience fewer emergency department visits and unplanned readmissions with lower healthcare costs.