AHRQ offers free program to improve cardiac patient outcomes

The American Hospital Association is recruiting hospitals to participate in a free, 12-month long cardiac rehabilitation initiative. TAKEheart, designed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), will help hospitals improve health outcomes by automating referral processes and providing care coordination for eligible patients. Participating hospitals will receive training, coaching and tools to support them in implementing the TAKEheart approach. Experts estimate increasing patient participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs to 70 percent could save approximately 25,000 lives and prevent 180,000 hospital admissions each year. The program begins Jan. 2020. Applications are due Oct. 15.