The Washington County Hospital congestive heart failure program is available to patients needing to learn or improve self-management techniques for congestive heart failure (CHF).

A full-time CHF clinician facilitates the program. Patients call a toll free number on a prescribed basis (generally once per week) and are asked a series of questions regarding their CHF status such as weight, symptoms, medication changes etc. The information is e-mailed twice daily to the CHF clinician who reviews the data looking for any responses that may be of concern. Those patients are then contacted by the nurse for further assessment. When necessary the nurse will also contact the physician.

The goals of the program are to teach patients how to manage their disease and to intervene early when symptoms change in order to avoid hospital admissions. Classes are also taught at the hospital on signs and symptoms of CHF, low sodium diet guidelines, exercise and energy conservation. These classes are open to patients and their families.

Physicians may refer patients to the program by calling the cardiac rehab department.