The teach-back method is an effective method used to educate and assess learning. Patients educated longer retained significantly more information than did patients with briefer teaching. Correctly answered HF-specific teach-back questions were not associated with reductions in 30-day hospital readmission rates. Future studies that include patients randomized to receive usual care or teach-back education to compare readmissions and knowledge acquisition would provide further comparison of teach-back effectiveness.

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BackgroundThe objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a disease management intervention on rehospitalization rates in hospitalized heart failure (HF) patients.MethodsPatients treated with the TEACH-HF intervention that included Teaching and Education, prompt follow-up Appointments, Consultation for support services, and Home follow-up phone calls (TEACH-HF) from January 2010 to January 2012 constituted the intervention group (n = 548). Patients treated from January 2007 to January 2008 constituted the usual care group (n = 485).ResultsGroup baseline characteristics were similar with 30-day readmission rates significantly different (19% usual care vs. 12% for the intervention respectively (P = 0.003)). Patients in the usual care group were 1.5 times more likely to be hospitalized (95% CI: 1.2 - 1.9; P = 0.001) compared to the intervention group. A savings of 641 bed days with potential revenue of $640,000 occurred after TEACH-HF.ConclusionsThe TEACH-HF intervention was associated with significantly fewer hospital readmissions and savings in bed days.

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