Tools and Strategies to Improve Care and Address Disparities From Expecting Success
Ten hospitals with racially and ethnically diverse patient populations participated in Expecting Success: Excellence in Cardiac Care, a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation aimed at improving quality of cardiac care while reducing racial, ethnic and language disparities. All 10 hospitals improved the quality of care being provided to their heart failure and heart attack patients. A Web-based toolkit provides tools, tips, and strategies for improving quality and reducing health care disparities. More>

Collecting Data on Patient Race, Ethnicity and Language is Helping Hospitals Improve Care
According to an issue brief from Expecting Success: Excellence in Cardiac Care, the collection of data on patient race, ethnicity and primary language is helping hospitals improve the quality of their care and reduce racial and ethnic disparities. The nation's first multi-hospital collaborative focused on reducing disparities, Expecting Success' 10 hospitals have implemented new systems for collecting and analyzing patient data in order to both improve the quality of care for all patients and track if there are racial and ethnic disparities in the care they provide. More>

2008 Heart Failure Patient Education Calendar and Teaching Guide
New tools to help hospitals educate heart failure patients about their condition and teach them self-management skills were developed collaboratively by Expecting Success hospitals. A calendar 'You Can Live with Heart Failure – Healthy Habits for Life' provides educational messages and colorful illustrations to help patients take control of their condition. With areas to record information daily, patients can use the calendar to record their weight and track their heart failure symptoms. Also available is 'Living with Heart Failure – A Patient Teaching Guide,' a pocket guide to help nurses educate heart failure patients. Access the calendar: English; Spanish. Access the teaching guide.