Background: The management of patients with chronic heart failure turns to new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, focusing on an integrated network among general practitioners and cardiologists.
Methods: In order to improve heart failure patient care, we developed a pilot study to assess the feasibility of a homecare program including visits performed by hospital cardiologists on request of general practitioners.
Results: This pilot study confirmed the feasibility of the collaborative project among general practitioners and cardiologists and the suitability of home visits performed on request. In 80/96 visits (85%) the cardiologist confirmed that home visit could be shared. Preliminary epidemiological data showed an elderly population (mean age 82 years) with prevalence of females (60%); hypertension in 46%, diabetes in 27%, and infrequent access to outpatient visits.
Conclusions: This integrated management showed good results in terms of an improvement of cooperation among general practitioners and cardiologists, and allowed to verify a very high level of diagnostic accuracy of general practitioners.