Main Findings : The results indicate that an intervention involving any human factor principles may nearly double an individual ’s probability of not being readmitted .
Principal Conclusions : Interventions with human factor principles reduce readmissions among HF patients .
Background : Human factors play an important role in health-care outcomes of heart failure ( HF ) patients .
A systematic review and meta- analysis of clinical trial studies on HF hospitalization may yield positive proofs of the beneficial effect of specific care management strategies .
Purpose : To investigate how the 8 guiding principles of choice , rest , environment , activity , trust , interpersonal relationships , outlook , and nutrition reduce HF readmissions .
Is Individual Peer Support a Promising Intervention for Persons With Heart Failure?
Peer support has been used effectively in a variety of patient population s , but its effectiveness in improving outcomes in persons with chronic heart failure has not been explored . We trained 9 persons with heart failure to mentor other heart failure patients  and tested the effectiveness of this approach in a r and omized controlled clinical trial . A low proportion ( 37 % ) of the eligible population of hospitalized patients agreed to participate . At the end of the 3-month trial , there was significantly higher heart failure self-care in the intervention group ( P < .05 ) . The only difference in social support was a significant decline in perceived support reciprocity in the intervention group ( F = 5.94 , P = .004 ) . No significant group differences in heart failure readmissions , length of stay , or cost were evident at 90-days , although the heart failure readmission rate was 96 % higher in the intervention group when compared to that in the control group . The reasons for low overall enrollment and high readmission rates in the intervention group require further study . Including additional self-care education by a professional , rather than leaving all the education to the mentor , could strengthen the peer support intervention trialed in this study . Small group meetings may be less intrusive and more desirable for this patient population
Main Findings : The results indicate that an intervention involving any human factor principles may nearly double an individual ’s probability of not being readmitted .
Principal Conclusions : Interventions with human factor principles reduce readmissions among HF patients .
Background : Human factors play an important role in health-care outcomes of heart failure ( HF ) patients .
A systematic review and meta- analysis of clinical trial studies on HF hospitalization may yield positive proofs of the beneficial effect of specific care management strategies .
Purpose : To investigate how the 8 guiding principles of choice , rest , environment , activity , trust , interpersonal relationships , outlook , and nutrition reduce HF readmissions .