Concord Reserve’s New Heart Failure Program a Model for Medical Professionals

Having residents’ best interests at heart has inspired the launch of a new heart health program at Concord Reserve, a Life Enriching Community (LEC) in Cleveland.

Heart failure is one of the most common causes of hospitalization in the United States. Recognizing this, Karen Comiskey, Director of Nursing at Concord Reserve, saw an opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

“There are people in their eighties and nineties with congestive heart issues, and around 20% were going back to the hospital,” said Comiskey, reflecting on her collaboration with Dr. Anthony Miniaci at University Hospital. “Dr. Miniaci and the team wanted to create a congestive heart failure program here at Concord Reserve that would reduce that number significantly. Through the American Heart Association and University Hospital St. John Medical Center, we were able to provide specialized training for our campus associates to carry out this program.”

The Heart Failure Disease Management Program (HFDMP) was introduced in 2023 and quickly became the standard of care at Concord Reserve. It featured comprehensive training for all resident care staff, an updated dietary manual tailored to heart health, and enhancements to the post-discharge process for residents transitioning from hospital to home.

“We began creating, training, and rolling out this program in 2023,” Comiskey explained. “It has now been a standard program at Concord Reserve since 2024.”

Since the implementation of this program, only one resident was readmitted to the hospital for heart-failure-related conditions, reducing the 30-day readmission rate from 20% to just 2.78%.

The study was a success. It was published by the Journal for Healthcare Quality. Medical professionals who care for Heart Failure residents can see treatment in the post-acute setting.

“Everyone and everything that would make this a success was already here at Concord Reserve,” Comiskey remarked. “It’s kept residents from going back to the hospital and staying in their home. These services are all under one roof.”

LEC is a mission-driven organization with six luxury not-for-profit life plan communities throughout Ohio. Passionate about senior living and respecting residents’ individual preferences and desired lifestyles, our residents live in vibrant communities with independent, assisted, nursing, and aging-in-place options, innovative programs, and access to superior services whenever they need them.

For more information about Life Enriching Communities and Concord Reserve, visit lec.org.