A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Social Worker-Aided Palliative Care Intervention in High Risk Patients with Heart Failure (SWAP-HF)

Advanced heart failure: a position statement of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology

“…The PAL‐HF (Palliative Care in Heart Failure) trial, a single‐centre study of 150 patients, showed that interdisciplinary palliative care intervention in advanced heart failure patients resulted in greater benefits in quality of life, anxiety, depression and spiritual wellbeing compared with usual care alone . The SWAP‐HF (Social Worker‐Aided Palliative Care Intervention in High‐risk Patients with Heart Failure) trial showed that patients at high risk for mortality from heart failure frequently overestimate their life expectancy and a structured social worker‐led palliative care intervention enhances prognostic understanding and patient–physician communication regarding goals of care …”

“…263 The SWAP-HF (Social Worker-Aided Palliative Care Intervention in High-risk Patients with Heart Failure) trial showed that patients 256 at high risk for mortality from heart failure frequently overestimate their life expectancy and a structured social worker-led palliative care intervention enhances prognostic understanding and patient-physician communication regarding goals of care. 264 Communication with advanced heart failure patients is complex. In heart failure, the trajectory of each patient is different.…”

Primera declaración Mexicana en materia de Insuficiencia Cardiaca

“…For this reason, it is essential to identify patients with end-stage HF. Studies such as PAL-HF 193 (Palliative Care in Heart Failure) or SWAP-HF 194 (SocialWorker-Aided Palliative Care in High-risk Patients with Heart Failure) showed that a multidisplinary intervention is able to improve quality of life in patients with advanced HF; in the same way, a decrease has been shown in states of anxiety and depression which frequently accompany patients at this disease stage.…”

Organization and Delivery of Palliative Care for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Case-based Discussion

“…[10][11][12][13] This includes development, establishment, and implementation of a system for bereavement follow-up and care, as the high incidence of in-hospital (and in-ICU) death carries risk of complicated or prolonged grief reaction for involved families.…”

“…14 Deeply imbedded within this phase of outpatient care is a clarity of thought that allows for greater alignment of realism and hope, for improved clinician-patient-family alignment in education and perceptions, for development of coping strategies, and for implementation of plans to achieve greatest closure in personal, family, social, career, community, and spiritual goals. [11][12][13] Use of structured group sessions and educational forums may allow for improved symptom recognition and utilization of available resources by patients and families to optimally control symptoms; understanding of typical disease course and social, psychological, financial, and spiritual influences, as well as nature and availability of disease-specific and palliative supports; and definition and communication of medical, personal, psychosocial, and spiritual goals. Such sessions may be directed toward patients, families, PAH experts and associated care providers, and led by palliative care team members or advocate/champions within the PAH specialty team.…”