VNS Health Earns Home Health Heart Failure Certification

NEW YORK—Home and community-based health nonprofit VNS Health has earned Home Health Heart Failure certification from the American Heart Association. The certification provides an evidence-based framework for evaluating home health agencies against the American Heart Association’s rigorous science-based standards for heart failure patients, including program management, patient and caregiver education and support, care coordination, clinical management and quality improvement.

“This certification affirms the lifesaving mission and goal of the American Heart Association to help every person everywhere have the opportunity for a longer, healthier life,” said Kyle G. Lavergne, American Heart Association volunteer and founding member of the certification standards writing committee. “We’re pleased to have VNS Health join the national network of American Heart Association Home Health Heart Failure certified agencies.”

One of the country’s largest home and community health-based nonprofits, on any given day, VNS Health has more than 99,000 people in its care across New York State. Their team of care providers, from nurses to rehabilitation therapists, social workers, hospice care teams, home health aides and others, serve some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers.

As people live longer and increasingly have multiple chronic health conditions, homecare agencies, like VNS Health are serving a growing number of older adults diagnosed with congestive heart failure (CHF). A certification from the American Heart Association aims to further ensure patients with heart health conditions can continue to live where they are most comfortable, at home, and receive evidence-based homecare practices designed to reduce hospital readmissions for patients experiencing heart failure, thus ensuring a smooth recovery process and improved health outcomes.

“VNS Health is proud to receive this certification from the American Heart Association,” said VNS Health’s Brenda Riordan, SVP home health, hospice and care management solutions. “This accomplishment reflects our ongoing goal to enhance the care we provide to diverse populations with multiple complex conditions, including heart disease. We are incredibly proud of our team for the time, dedication and hard work that made this achievement possible. The tools and resources provided by the American Heart Association will help ensure our clinicians have the education and opportunities to provide our patients with optimal management of heart failure symptoms in the home.”

The certification signifies confidence that:

• An agency’s heart failure program is based on standards aligned with the American Heart Association science
• The agency is recognized by the American Heart Association, based on professional evaluation criteria designed by heart failure and homecare experts
• Care is coordinated from pre-admission through working with the home health agency to discharge