Measure Description: Percentage of patients age ≥18 y discharged from an inpatient facility to ambulatory care or home health care with a principal discharge diagnosis of heart failure for whom a follow-up appointment was scheduled within 7 d and documented before discharge (as specified)
Numerator	Patients for whom a follow-up appointment was scheduled within 7 d and documented before discharge including either: An office visit (including location, date, and time) for management of heart failure A home health visit (including location and date) for management of heart failure A telehealth visit (including location and date) for management of heart failure Because of the nature of scheduling home health visits, the location and date of the follow-up appointment is sufficient for meeting the measure.
Denominator	All patients age ≥18 y discharged from an inpatient facility (e.g., hospital inpatient or observation) to ambulatory care (home or self-care) or home health care with a principal discharge diagnosis of heart failure
Denominator Exclusions	Heart transplant LVAD
Denominator Exceptions	Documentation of medical reason(s) for not documenting that a follow-up appointment was scheduled (e.g., patients transferring to another facility) Documentation of patient reason(s) for not documenting that a follow-up appointment was scheduled (e.g., patients who left against medical advice or discontinued or transferred care)
Measurement Period	12 mo
Sources of Data	EHR data Administrative data/claims (inpatient or outpatient claims) Administrative data/claims expanded (multiple sources) Paper medical record
Attribution	Individual practitioner Facility
Care Setting	Inpatient
Rationale
An observational study found that early outpatient follow-up (within 7 d) after discharge from a heart failure hospitalization is associated with a lower risk of 30-d readmission (117), although this has been an inconsistent finding (118). The writing committee agreed that more evidence is needed to support a short time period (<7 d) for the postdischarge appointment before this metric becomes a performance measure.
Clinical Recommendation(s)
2013 ACCF/AHA heart failure clinical practice guideline (7) 1. Scheduling an early follow-up visit (within 7 to 14 days) and early telephone follow-up (within 3 days) of hospital discharge are reasonable (117,119). (Class 2a, Level of Evidence: B)

ACCF indicates American College of Cardiology Foundation; AHA, American Heart Association; EHR, electronic health record; LVAD, left ventricular assist device; and QM, quality measure.