A web-based co-operative work framework for heart failure patient management

Heart failure is becoming the most spread chronic cardio-vascular disease and its incidence and prevalence are growing exponentially. Several experiences have shown that the outcomes deriving from a proper management of heart failure patients can be more effective than the results obtained by drug therapies. In this context, the three year project `A guideline-based shared care through a computer-based cooperative system for the management of heart failure (e-Heart Failure)` started in May 2002 in the Province of Trento (Northern Italy). The aim of the project is to design and develop a computer-based co-operative work framework (e-HF system) for favouring a continuous and effective shared care delivery among the Health Care Professionals (HCPs) involved in the heart failure patient management on the territory of our province: hospital physicians and nurses of the Cardiology, Gerontology and Internal Medicine Wards of the central hospital, and outpatient nurses and General Practitioners (GPs) of the district of Trento. The project is funded by the `Fondo Unico per la Ricerca` of the Autonomous Province of Trento and involves several institutions: the Telemedicine and Medical Informatics Unit of ITC-irst, the Fraunhofer IBMT, the Universities of Pavia, Trento, and Firenze, and the Health Care Service Trust of the Province of Trento