American Heart Association Launches Virtual Care Program to Reduce Heart Failure Readmissions

The American Heart Association has developed American Heart Association Connected Care™, Powered by Cadence, a virtual care program designed to deliver ongoing heart and cardiometabolic care to patients at home after hospital discharge. This initiative addresses the critical challenge of heart failure readmissions, where nearly 1 in 4 patients returns to the hospital within 30 days of discharge according to research published in Circulation: Heart Failure.

The program emerges as healthcare systems face increasing pressure from rising chronic disease rates across the United States, with the number of people living with chronic illness expected to double from 2020 to 2050. Fewer than 20% of heart failure patients currently receive all four guideline-directed medical therapy pillars post-discharge, despite strong evidence showing these therapies improve patient outcomes, as detailed in another Circulation: Heart Failure study.

John Meiners, chief of mission-aligned businesses at the American Heart Association, stated that the organization's legacy is built on bringing science to life and meeting people where they are to reimagine healthcare delivery. The program combines advanced remote patient monitoring technology with the Association's expertise in guideline-directed care and chronic condition management to extend high-quality hospital care into patients' homes.

Hospitals can refer eligible patients to the Connected Care program prior to discharge, with the Association working with participating hospitals to integrate the program into discharge workflows. Cadence enrolls patients in the program, teaching them how to use their devices, monitoring vital sign readings, and providing ongoing clinical support through their remote platform and 24/7 virtual provider group.

Chris Altchek, chief executive officer and founder of Cadence, explained that hospitals struggle to extend consistent, evidence-based care once patients leave their facilities. By pairing the American Heart Association's scientific guidelines with Cadence's AI-driven remote monitoring and always-on care team, the program makes proactive, personalized heart-failure support available anytime, anywhere.

The program aims to reduce 30-day readmissions by providing peace of mind and timely interventions for patients and their families, support heart failure patients from hospital admission through safe discharge and recovery at home, and bring care to more communities by delivering personalized support beyond hospital walls. Dr. Marat Fudim, associate professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, emphasized that with timely interventions and evidence-based support, remote patient monitoring bridges the gap by keeping close watch on patients' health while they're at home, avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations and achieving better long-term outcomes.

Rooted in a century of innovative scientific breakthroughs, trusted clinical guidelines, and science-backed educational content, Connected Care offers patients timely, remote care and support to help them adhere to treatment plans, adopt heart-healthy habits, and avoid preventable readmissions. The pilot program is currently underway at four hospitals: Texas Health Allen in Texas, Rutherford Regional Medical Center in North Carolina, Frye Regional Medical Center in North Carolina, and Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in California.