Virtual care to improve recovery from heart failure hospitalization

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This clinical trial aims to develop and implement a virtual model of care for patients recovering from heart failure (HF) hospitalization. The intervention involves virtual follow-up visits over a 90-day period, focusing on optimizing medication and health status outcomes. The study compares this virtual care approach to routine care to assess improvements in clinical outcomes and implementation. A pilot phase has already been conducted to refine the delivery process and gather preliminary data on health status changes.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

Adult patients ≥ 18 years old who:

1. Are being discharged after hospitalization or urgent visit for HF as

   1. a primary diagnosis or
   2. significant complication (prolonging length of stay) of another diagnosis OR Have been referred for an initial consult at a cardiology clinic within 1 week of hospitalization or urgent visit for HF as a primary or secondary diagnosis, as described above.
2. Have left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) \< 50% within the preceding 3 months.
3. Have NT-proBNP of \> 900 pg/ml during hospital admission or within 7 days after discharge from the ED
4. Have a mailing address for patient or caregiver
5. Provide verbal consent

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Died or left hospital before medically advised hospital discharge
2. Unable to self-assess or communicate symptoms (e.g. clinically evident dementia)
3. Unable to engage with digital health technology or follow up
4. Severe valve disease
5. Recipient of or on waiting list for LVAD or cardiac transplant
6. Complex congenital heart disease, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, or amyloid cardiomyopathy
7. Severe lung disease with symptoms on minimal exertion, forced expiratory volume during 1 second (FEV1) \< 1 litre, severe pulmonary hypertension with RVSP \> 60 mm Hg, or on home oxygen
8. Severe kidney disease (persistent eGFR \< 30 mL/min/1.73m2)
9. Active malignancy
10. Receiving palliative care or expected life expectancy \< 6 months

Where it's running

• St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton
  Hamilton, Onatrio, Canada Recruiting
• Hamilton General Hospital
  Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Recruiting
• Juravinski Hospital Cancer Centre
  Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Recruiting
• Unity Health Toronto
  Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recruiting
• Fattouma Bourguiba Hospital
  Monastir, Tunisia Recruiting
• Hedi Chaker Hospital
  Sfax, Tunisia Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Harriette Van Spall, MD — McMaster University
• Study coordinator: Harriette GC Van Spall, MD MPH
• Email: Harriette.VanSpall@phri.ca
• Phone: (905) 521-2100

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

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• NT-proBNP–guided heart failure screening for people 65+ in rural China

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• Voice-based detection of heart failure deterioration using Noah Labs Vox

  This study tests whether a voice-analysis app can flag worsening heart failure in adults by comparing its alerts to standard weight-based monitoring.

  Recruiting Noah Labs · Boston, Massachusetts · NCT07870395

How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.