Table 1.

The proposals to improve the current approach to heart failure in the Spanish National Health System

Areas of HF management	Proposals
General	1. Optimization of the electronic medical record use
	2. Enhancement of electronic prescription use
	3. Implementation of a widespread hospital nurse case manager network
	4. Realization of a widespread community nurse case manager network
	5. Standardization of operational protocols between specialities attending the same patients
	6. Application of a clinical pathway in each hospital
	7. Psychological–emotional support of patients
	8. Professional reorientation and insertion actions
Emergency and hospitalization	9. Monograph for palliative care patient identification
	10. Informative dissemination of the advance directives document
	11. Profile definition of a patient with acute HF and initial comprehensive assessment
	12. Availability of echocardiography division at hospital emergency departments
	13. Awareness campaign for health professionals on the importance of good communication with patients at hospital discharge
	14. Health education for patients and caregivers before hospital discharge
	15. Telephone contact 48 hours after hospital discharge to home
Primary care	16. Quick access to the echocardiography in the primary care upon initial evaluation
	17. Health education for patients with HF
	18. Home visit within 7 days from hospital discharge
	19. Early visit to the corresponding specialist within 2 weeks from hospital discharge
Cardiology	20.Implementation of cardiac rehabilitation units at reference hospitals
	21. Nursing staff specialization at HF units
	22. Approach for non‐invasive mechanical ventilation in the emergency department, cardiology, and acute care units
	23. Early visit to the specialist indicated within 2 weeks from hospital discharge
	24. Quick access to a clinical cardiologist
Internal medicine	25. Campaigns on the importance of good communication between healthcare professionals and patients followed at the IM department
	26. Social resource streamlining
	27. Implementation of an optimal palliative care ratio
	28. Early visit to the specialist indicated within 2 weeks from hospital discharge