Quality standard

Quality statement 6: Follow‑up clinical assessment

Quality statement 6: Follow‑up clinical assessment

Quality statement

Adults with acute heart failure have a follow‑up clinical assessment by a member of the community- or hospital‑based specialist heart failure team within 2 weeks of hospital discharge.

Rationale

It is important that adults with acute heart failure have early specialist heart failure follow‑up by a member of the community- or hospital‑based specialist heart failure team within 2 weeks of hospital discharge to reduce early readmissions, achieve better long‑term outcomes and improve their quality of life.

Quality measures

The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.

Structure

Evidence of local arrangements to ensure that adults with acute heart failure have a follow‑up clinical assessment by a member of the community- or hospital‑based specialist heart failure team within 2 weeks of hospital discharge.

Data source: Local data collection. National data are collected in the National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research heart failure audit 2012/13.

Process

Proportion of adults with acute heart failure who have a follow‑up clinical assessment by a member of the community- or hospital‑based specialist heart failure team within 2 weeks of hospital discharge.

Numerator – the number in the denominator who have a follow‑up clinical assessment by a member of the community- or hospital‑based specialist heart failure team within 2 weeks of hospital discharge.

Denominator – the number of hospital discharges of adults with a diagnosis of acute heart failure.

Data source: Local data collection.

Outcome

a) Mortality rates.

Data source: Local data collection. National data are collected in the National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research heart failure audit 2012/13.

b) Readmission rates.

Data source: Local data collection. National data are collected in the National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research heart failure audit 2012/13.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers (cardiac service providers) ensure that adults with acute heart failure have a follow‑up clinical assessment by a member of the community- or hospital‑based specialist heart failure team within 2 weeks of hospital discharge.

Healthcare professionals (community- or hospital‑based specialist heart failure team) undertake a follow‑up clinical assessment for adults with acute heart failure within 2 weeks of hospital discharge.

Commissioners ensure that adults with acute heart failure have a follow‑up clinical assessment by a member of the community- or hospital‑based specialist heart failure team within 2 weeks of hospital discharge.

Adults with acute heart failure have a follow‑up assessment by a member of the community- or hospital‑based heart failure team within 2 weeks of hospital discharge.