Archbold Medical Center| Archives Magazine | Fall 2019

ARCHBOLD.ORG • FALL 2019 17 WHEN YOUR HEART isn’t working properly, your entire body can feel the impact. And when your heart is failing, it can be very dangerous—especially if you aren’t aware that it’s happening. Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a chronic and progressive condition that affects the pumping power of your heart muscles. While often just called “heart failure,” CHF specifically refers to the stage in which fluid builds up around the heart and causes it to pump inefficiently. Patients with CHF commonly experi- ence very serious symptoms that, if not treated quickly, can result in costly visits to the emergency department; hospital readmissions; or, even worse, serious injury or even death. Catching problems quickly To help patients manage their CHF at home, Archbold has introduced a new, connected cardiac care program called Archbold Home Health Heart Watch. The comprehensive program helps patients with heart failure learn new coping skills and how to properly care for themselves at home. Patients also have access to new, easy-to-use tele- monitoring technology. The technology—installed in the patient’s home—allows Archbold Home Health nurses to closely monitor a patient’s blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose level, oxygen level, weight and health status daily. This is especially helpful between home health visits, when the patient’s nurse is not scheduled to be inside the home. If abnormal results are detected, the technology alerts the patient’s nurse immediately. The nurse is then able to contact the patient’s physician and ensure that medical assistance is sent to the patient’s home. Is it right for you? Talk with your doctor to see if the Archbold Home Health Heart Watch might be beneficial for you or a family member living with CHF. If you or a loved one has been recently diagnosed with CHF, was recently hospi- talized with CHF or has uncontrolled CHF symptoms, the Heart Watch pro- gram could be beneficial. The program is also appropriate for CHF patients at home who experience frequent hospital- izations or emergency department visits, and for those who are living with chronic disease, such as heart disease or respiratory disorders, or are having difficulty controlling their diabe- tes at home. Help for hearts at home HEART WATCH PROGRAM