Automated Hovering for Congestive Heart Failure Patients: A Pilot Study

The specific aims of this study are: (1) To leverage access to the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) CHF clinic, PennChart (electronic medical record system) resources for identifying eligible patients, and the Way to Health (WTH) platform to launch a pilot study that will inform a randomized controlled trial; (2) to evaluate the feasibility of the enrollment processes and intervention roll-out to inform a randomized controlled trial; (3) to estimate the readmission rate of participants; and, (4) to assess if and how managing physicians respond to weight gain alerts entered into participant charts in PennChart. In this pilot study, no randomization will occur and all participants will receive the intervention.

Inclusion criteria

• Discharged to home within the past 30 days from a UPHS hospital with a principal diagnosis of CHF
• Aged 18 to 80 years old
• Will receive follow-up in a UPHS outpatient clinic by a cardiologist or primary care physician

Exclusion criteria

• Less than 18 years old or older than 80 years old
• Will not or cannot provide informed consent
• Have a markedly shortened life expectancy (listed for heart transplant, have ventricular assist device, are inotrope dependent, have metastatic cancer, or have dementia)
• Have end-stage renal disease
• Have a glomerular filtration rate <25 ml/min
• On dialysis
• Heart failure is managed with a CardioMEMS monitor
• Receiving another remote monitoring/telemedicine intervention
• Receiving follow-up care outside of UPHS