英文摘要 |
"Heart failure (HF) is the final common pathway of various cardiac diseases, characterized by its high mortality and morbidity. Despite the recent progress in pharmacotherapy and interventions, the outcome of HF is still unsatisfactory. In this issue, we review the complex pathophysiology of HF, evaluate the inadequacy of the classical physician-led, event-driven care system, and address a multi-disciplinary integrated care program coordinated by case managers specialized in HF. This program has been implemented as the heart failure post-acute care (HF-PAC) which is sponsored by the National Health Insurance Bureau in Taiwan. We invited reviews from cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, heart failure case managers, clinical pharmacists, physiotherapists, clinical psychologists, and social workers to discuss issues related to the integrated care of HF patients. Through the change from silo practice offered by cardiologist to multi-disciplinary integrated care, the outcome of HF patients is improved and the utilization of medical resources becomes more efficient." |