Collaborative Care: A Defining Characteristic for a Pulmonary Hypertension Center

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a complex, life-threatening disease. Development of pulmonary hypertension centers is recommended by pulmonary hypertension best practice guidelines and patient organizations to successfully care for patients. However, very little is published on the characteristics of these centers or the daily management required to care for this complex patient population. This article, written by nurses who have extensive experience in managing patients with pulmonary hypertension, details the collaboration and workflows needed at a pulmonary hypertension center. Cohesive management among PH team members, patients, and caregivers is required for the long-term and successful care of patients. PH centers should have individual team members with clearly defined functional roles, policies and procedures that outline how to address the challenges of managing patients, effective communication between outpatient and inpatient teams, and well-educated staff to accurately diagnose and manage treatments, including accessing pulmonary arterial hypertension medications. Education of patients, concurrent with the support of caregivers and healthcare providers, plays a vital role in improving patients’ understanding of their disease state and treatment options that best suit their lifestyle. PH team members assist patients in developing self-care skills to better recognize and respond to worsening symptoms and manage medication side effects to improve patient outcomes. Defining collaborative care, work flows, and characteristics of a pulmonary hypertension center is essential to optimize care in this complex, chronic patient population. Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.