Chronic Heart Failure Care Network in Italy: Results from the Regioni 3.0 and ANMCO Heart Failure Working Group Surveys

@article{luca2026chronic,
  title = {{Chronic Heart Failure Care Network in Italy: Results from the Regioni 3.0 and ANMCO Heart Failure Working Group Surveys}},
  author = {Fabiana Lucà and Alessandro Navazio and Samuela Carigi and Mauro Gori and Giovanna Geraci and Luisa De Gennaro and Concetta Di Nora and Paolo Manca and Maria Vittoria Matassini and Vittoria Rizzello and Maria Denitza Tinti and Matteo Bianco and Renata De Maria and Vittorio Palmieri and Daniela Aschieri and Ilaria Battistoni and Claudio Bilato and Stefania Angela Di Fusco and Vered Gil Ad and Attilio Iacovoni and Barbara Maria Teresa Mabritto and Massimo Milli and Pietro Scicchitano and Francesco Vigorito and Michele Massimo Gulizia and Furio Colivicchi and Fabrizio Oliva and Federico Nardi and Massimo Grimaldi},
  journal = {Journal of Clinical Medicine},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.3390/jcm15218551},
  url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/21/8551},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Chronic Heart Failure Care Network in Italy: Results from the Regioni 3.0 and ANMCO Heart Failure Working Group Surveys
AU  - Fabiana Lucà
AU  - Alessandro Navazio
AU  - Samuela Carigi
AU  - Mauro Gori
AU  - Giovanna Geraci
AU  - Luisa De Gennaro
AU  - Concetta Di Nora
AU  - Paolo Manca
AU  - Maria Vittoria Matassini
AU  - Vittoria Rizzello
AU  - Maria Denitza Tinti
AU  - Matteo Bianco
AU  - Renata De Maria
AU  - Vittorio Palmieri
AU  - Daniela Aschieri
AU  - Ilaria Battistoni
AU  - Claudio Bilato
AU  - Stefania Angela Di Fusco
AU  - Vered Gil Ad
AU  - Attilio Iacovoni
AU  - Barbara Maria Teresa Mabritto
AU  - Massimo Milli
AU  - Pietro Scicchitano
AU  - Francesco Vigorito
AU  - Michele Massimo Gulizia
AU  - Furio Colivicchi
AU  - Fabrizio Oliva
AU  - Federico Nardi
AU  - Massimo Grimaldi
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/03
JO  - Journal of Clinical Medicine
DO  - 10.3390/jcm15218551
UR  - https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/21/8551
AB  - Background: Heart failure (HF) remains a major cause of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare resource utilisation, requiring integrated multidisciplinary care across hospital and community settings. This study aimed to describe the organisation of HF care and post-discharge management in Italy through two complementary national surveys promoted by the Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists (ANMCO). Methods: Two complementary cross-sectional organisational surveys were conducted to describe the organisation of HF care in Italy. The Regioni 3.0 survey, performed between November 2023 and September 2024, collected 196 responses from directors of cardiology departments and HF Centers regarding organisational resources, post-discharge follow-up pathways, and integration with community healthcare services. A second survey, administered during the ANMCO Heart Failure Centers Convention in October 2024, collected 135 responses on discharge planning and outpatient follow-up practices. Results: HF outpatient clinics were available in 85.7% of Centers, whereas only 42.6% reported non-physician staff specifically assigned to HF care. Structured post-discharge follow-up pathways were reported by 91.3% of Centers, but functional links with primary care or community healthcare services were present in only 47.7%. Medication reconciliation and patient education were routinely performed in most Centers, whereas telemonitoring systems were available in approximately one-third of respondents. Conclusions: HF care in Italy is supported by a widespread network of outpatient clinics and structured post-discharge follow-up pathways. However, important organizational gaps remain in multidisciplinary staffing, hospital–community integration, and telemonitoring, highlighting the need to strengthen multidisciplinary resources, improve hospital–community integration, and expand telemonitoring to support more coordinated HF care nationwide.
SN  - 2077-0383
ER  -