Congestive Heart Failure Research Proposal

Introduction to Problem Statement and Purpose of the Study

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) continues to be a major and growing clinical reality in the United States with the current prevalence estimated at 2% of the total American population. This translates to 5.1 million Americans aged from the age of 20 with an additional 670,000 diagnosed yearly. Unfortunately, the prevalence level of CHF by 2030 is estimated to increase by 25%. The occurrence of CHF is approximately 10 per 1000 among 65 years old and above American with African American as the most affected victims followed by Latino, White and Asian Americans. An estimated 25% of the patients with heart failure (HF) get readmitted within 30 days of discharge. Old adults account for the 23.4% readmissions and 4.5% of all-cause readmissions are related to adverse drug reactions or adverse drug events. Congestion heart failure has significantly been a major financial burden with families spending up to a tune of $32 million. According to Greer, Fagan, & Coleman, (2014) the annual expenditure of CHF treatment is projected to increase by 120% to $70 billion. As such, the treatment and early hospital readmission for CHF is a chief health care and economic liability in the United States.

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It is evident from the above that the need for addressing congestion heart failure to prevent CHF hospital readmission. According to Almkuist (2018), it is believed that readmissions are avoidable. For this reason, the Centre for Medicare and Medicaid service has begun to penalize hospitals that have high early readmission rates for CHF. The solutions for preventing early CHF readmission will not only relieve low-income families the financial burden associated with treatment costs but also save hospitals from unnecessary costs due to over readmissions.

The research project will, therefore, seek to explore and investigate the following:

• To examine how CHF hospital readmission can be decreased for 30-day readmission.
• To identify and develop an initiative designed to reduce hospital readmission for CHF.
• To examine and evaluate how to reduce health cost while preserving hospital reimbursements.

Literature Review

Heart failure is one of the most common readmission diagnoses. Hospitals are being penalized when patients are readmitted within 30 days following a hospital discharge (Almkuist, 2018). Medical management of individuals living with CHF and other chronic illness is a challenge for healthcare providers.

What Is Congestive Heart Failure

CHF is a chronic progressive condition that affects the pumping power of your heart muscles. In regard to heart failure, CHF refers to the stage in which fluids build around the heart and causes it to pump ineffectively.

Methodology

The methodology that will be applied by the study has been chosen in order to acquire information and deduce conclusions about the development of CHF hospital readmission initiatives in the United States.

Purpose of the Study and Type of Information

The main idea of this research had its genesis from the Author's concern about CHF readmission rates. This research will be a continuing study from previous research done by the author in the specific area. The previous research analyzed the economic impact of CHF readmission and the analysis of change process development as an initiative to find a solution to CHF readmission rates. The author will, therefore, identify and analyze one specific means of preventing CHP hospital readmission.

For the reason above, this study will take an exploratory approach. An exploratory approach, according to Abello, Romero, Pedersen, Berlanga, Nebot, and Aramburu (2015) refers to a study undertaken when limited information is known about the situation at hand, or when no information is available on how the similar or related research issue or problem have been solved in the past. The aim will be to gain insight into CHF readmission and to recommend a suitable mechanism for preventing CHF readmission rates.

Data Collection

For the purpose of this research and in order to achieve the objectives of this study, data that will be collected and be used will comprise both primary and secondary data. The secondary data will give insight towards developing backward information required by the researcher to build constructively the project to enhance the readers' understanding of the outcomes.

The primary data will be collected in two ways. Firstly, a questionnaire survey will be conducted with healthcare practitioners. Secondly, an interview will also be conducted with clinical officers and CHF patient.

Sampling Design

It is the interest of every researcher to study the whole population. However, it is impossible and unfeasible to achieve this; as a result, one has to settle on a sample. Koknaroglu, Harrington & Mader, (2016) define sample as a portion taken from a population which is regarded to be representative of the population.

The questionnaire survey technique will be employed to collect primary data. Koknaroglu, et al., (2016) contend that sample size larger than 30 and less than 500 are suitable for most research. As such, the sample size the will be utilized for this research will consist 150 questionnaires designed for healthcare practitioners. Additionally, interview survey technique will be adopted .the sample population for will constitute CHF patients and healthcare officers.

The Questionnaire Survey

Questionnaire survey according to Burns, Bush, & Sinha, (2014) a self-report instrument used for collecting information about variables of interest to an investigation. This study will use close-ended questions to call for the response. Fixed responses will help the researcher to directly compare and aggregate responses. However, the fixed response is likely to lead to information bias due to limited alternative responses.

The Interview Survey

This technique of personal interview is undertaken to reach the objectives because it is interview versatile and a productive method of communication. This study will employ semi-structured face to face interview with the interest groups. The choice will be based on the researcher's knowledge about different educational levels of interviewees.

Contributions of the Study

It is intended that the outcomes of this study will be used by healthcare providers to gain knowledge about how to prevent CHF hospital readmission. This will help to resolve the high CHF readmission rate and the health care cost in both rural and urban America.

Reference

Abello, A., Romero, O., Pedersen, T. B., Berlanga, R., Nebot, V., Aramburu, M. J., & Simitsis, A. (2015). Using semantic web technologies for exploratory OLAP: a survey. IEEE transactions on knowledge and data engineering, 27(2), 571-588.

Almkuist, K. D. (2018). Pharmacist-Nurse Collaboration: Decreasing 30-Day Readmissions for Heart Failure. Medsurg Nursing, 27(3), 187-200.

Burns, A. C., Bush, R. F., & Sinha, N. (2014). Marketing research (Vol. 7). Harlow: Pearson.

Greer, L., Fagan, A. T., & Coleman, E. A. (2014). Reducing Hospital Readmissions for CHF

Koknaroglu, H., Harrington Jr, J. A., & Mader, T. L. (2016). 057 Cultural energy analyses of climatologically suitable places in Turkey for feedlot cattle production determined by using the comprehensive climate index model. Journal of Animal Science, 94(suppl_2), 26-26.

Patients through Pre-Discharge Simulation-Based Learning. Journal Of Clinical Outcomes Management, 21(11), 513-517.