What is Heart Failure (HF)?

Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure (CHF), is a life-threatening condition in which the heart can no longer pump enough blood to the rest of the body. Heart failure is almost always a chronic, long-term condition, although it can sometimes develop suddenly. This condition may affect the right side, left side, or both sides of the heart. Learn more about heart failure.

How is Care Measured?

When someone is experiencing heart failure, timely, clear-cut treatment is critical. Evidence has shown that patients who received specific treatments and medications at certain times experienced the best outcomes. These procedures and medications include:

• Assessment of Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction;
• ACE Inhibitor or ARB for Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction (LVSD);
• Discharge instructions;
• Smoking cessation advise/counseling.

University Hospitals Case Medical Center exceeds averages for the region and across the nation for the above heart failure care standards

You may view the details for each measurement by visiting the Health and Human Services web site called “Hospital Compare.”

How is Process of Care Measured?

University Hospitals participates in the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC): a nationwide alliance of academic medical centers and their affiliated hospitals. This group represents approximately 90% of the nation’s non-profit academic medical centers.

The UHC maintains a comparative database of healthcare measures which have been established to indicate the overall quality of commonly-performed medical procedures. Criteria for measuring HF outcomes include:

Mortality Rate

• Why is this important to you as a patient?
  Mortality rate is an indicator of good patient care process.
  A lower number is better.
• How do we compare outcomes?
  UHCMC participates in the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) comparative database along with more than 100 other academic centers across the country. The national comparison shown below compares our outcomes to those of other nationally-recognized academic medical centers.
• Results:
  UHCMC’s HF mortality rate is lower than the national average.

Patient experience is measured by the following criteria:

• Length of stay
• Readmission to the Hospital

Length of Stay as a Quality Measure

• Why is this important to you as a patient?
  This measure indicates the number of days a patient spends in the hospital.A shorter length of stay usually indicates more efficient and effective care.It means the patient can return home faster to recuperate in a familiar, more comfortable surrounding. A shorter stay in the hospital is also generally less disruptive for the patient and his / her family.


• How do we compare outcomes?
  UHCMC participates in the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) comparative database along with more than 100 other academic centers across the country. The national comparison shown below compares our outcomes to those of other nationally-recognized academic medical centers.


• Results:
  UHCMC’s average length of stay for HF is better than the national average

Readmission to the Hospital as a Quality Measure

• Why is this important to you as a patient?
  This measure indicates the number of patients who are discharged from the hospital and then readmitted within 30 days of their discharge. A lower number indicates more efficient and effective care.


• How do we compare outcomes?
  UHCMC participates in the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) comparative database along with more than 100 other academic centers across the country. The national comparison shown below compares our outcomes to those of other nationally-recognized academic medical centers.


• Results:
  UHCMC’s readmission to the hospital for HF is slightly higher than the national average.