Collaborative care model improves self-care ability, quality of life and cardiac function of patients with chronic heart failure

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a common chronic disease that requires much care. This study aimed to explore the effects of collaborative care model (CCM) on patients with CHF. A total of 114 CHF patients were enrolled in this study, and were randomly and equally divided into two groups: control and experimental. Patients in the two groups received either usual care or CCM for 3 continuous months. The impacts of CCM on the self-care ability and quality of life were assessed using self-care of heart failure index and short form health survey 12, respectively. Further, cardiac function was assessed by measuring left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and the level of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and by the 6-min walking test. Clinical and demographic characteristics of patients in the control and CCM groups were statistically equivalent. Compared with usual care, CCM significantly enhanced self-care abilities of patients with CHF, including self-care maintenance, self-care management and self-care confidence (all P<0.05). The physical and mental quality of life was also significantly improved by CCM (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Compared with usual care, CCM significantly increased the LVEF (P<0.01), decreased the NT-proBNP level (P<0.01), and enhanced exercise capacity (P<0.001). In conclusion, CCM improved the self-care, quality of life and cardiac function of patients with CHF compared with usual care.