Heart Failure Services

Cardiac management center

Our heart failure care program includes:

• Continuity of Care with the patient’s Cardiologist and other providers
• Telemonitoring Program
• CardioMEMS Remote Monitoring Program
• Outpatient Clinic for quick access to avoid hospitalization
• Intravenous Diuretics for symptom management
• Guideline Driven Medical Therapy managed by our Prairie Providers
• 24/7 on-call Nurse for Clinic patients to call with heart failure issues
• Connection with Community Resources

CardioMEMS - A Way to Monitor Heart Failure

CardioMEMS is a special device that helps monitor heart failure and detect signs of worsening conditions. It does this by measuring and recording the pressure in the pulmonary artery (PA), which is an important indicator of heart failure progression. If the PA pressure increases, it may mean that the heart is getting weaker or not pumping effectively.

Research has shown that CardioMEMS is safe and effective, especially for patients with late-stage heart failure. It works as a remote monitoring system, collecting daily PA pressure information from the patient at home. This data is securely transmitted to the cardiologist's office for regular review.

The CardioMEMS HF System is a tiny sensor, about the size of a paperclip, with a thin, curved wire at each end. A cardiologist implants it in the patient's pulmonary artery using a catheter, a small flexible tube inserted through the femoral vein in the groin. The procedure usually takes about 30 minutes, and patients may receive a mild sedative but remain awake.

Once back home, patients simply lie on a special pillow for a few minutes to take the daily PA pressure measurement from the sensor. This measurement is then sent directly to the cardiologist for evaluation.

Scale Program

Tele-scale Program - Monitoring Daily Weights for Heart Failure Management

For individuals managing heart failure, keeping track of daily weights is crucial. The SIH Cardiac Management Center offers a helpful Remote Patient Monitoring Tele-scale Program. Participants are provided with a cellular-enabled weight scale and are responsible for weighing themselves daily.

The scale automatically transmits the weights to our Remote Patient Monitoring Team for analysis. Monitoring daily weights helps us spot any trends that may indicate the need for direct communication with the Heart Failure Team. This communication includes reinforcing treatment goals related to CHF symptoms, medication compliance, appropriate diet, daily activity, and communication with the care team.

To join the program, ask your Primary Care Provider for a referral or contact our SIH Prairie Heart Institute Cardiac Management Center Team at 618.969.8415. By working together, we can keep individuals with heart failure healthy and happy at home, reducing the need for emergency room visits and hospital readmissions.