Needs Statement

There is a critical need for clinicians who manage patients with heart failure to address persistent professional practice gaps. These gaps hinder the consistent delivery of evidence‑based care and lead to avoidable variation in patient outcomes. Many providers lack up‑to‑date knowledge of evolving guideline recommendations, confidence in applying new therapies across heart failure phenotypes, and consistency in executing multidisciplinary strategies that support timely referrals and optimal treatment sequencing. These gaps—including deficits in knowledge, clinical skills, and performance—directly affect patient care through underuse of guideline‑directed therapies, delayed recognition of advanced disease, and inconsistent coordination among care teams. This conference is designed to address these gaps by offering evidence‑based updates, expert‑led case discussions, and practical strategies that strengthen clinicians’ ability to implement current guidelines, apply emerging therapies, and improve real‑world decision‑making across to ultimately improve outcomes for patients with heart failure.

Target Audience 

This activity is for Primary Care, Cardiology, FP/IM Residents, Nurses, APP.

Educational Methods

Lecture and Q&A.

Objectives

At the conclusion of the sessions, the participants should be able to:

• Describe evidence‑based guideline‑directed treatment strategies for Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF) and Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF).
• Recognize when to screen for cardiac amyloidosis in patients with heart failure and how noninvasive diagnostic pathways support timely initiation of disease‑modifying therapy, particularly within HFpEF populations.
• Interpret cardiogenic shock presentations and phenotype the condition as a dynamic continuum by applying standardized hemodynamic and risk‑stratification frameworks to guide timely multidisciplinary decision‑making.
• Identify sex‑specific risk factors and clinical presentations of heart failure in women, including how diagnostic thresholds and treatment considerations differ to support more equitable, evidence‑based care.

Evaluation

Evaluation by questionnaire will address program content, presentation, and possible bias.

Activity Director

Munir Janmohamed, MD

Medical Director Heart Failure/LVAD Program

Mercy General Hospital/Dignity Health

Activity Coordinator

Amber Lizotte, MHA, BSN, RN

Nurse Manager

Mercy General Hospital/Dignity Health