Goncalo Placido
The provision of care to the person suffering from heart failure continues to be internationally recognized as an absolute challenge. Being a long-term condition that tends to worsen over time, patients with the aforementioned pathology present progressively debilitating symptomatology (e.g. breathlessness, fatigue, reduced exercise tolerance, orthopnea, and others), which leads to recurrent hospitalizations, often in a short period of time. The literature reveals that, at a global level, the readmission rate in the period of 30-days post-discharge reaches as high as 20%. Consequently, the burden on the National Health Services, in an era of reduced budgets and increased financial control, becomes considerably elevated. It is estimated, at an example level, that the average cost for each hospitalization due to heart failure in the United States of America is twelve thousand dollars. Besides the expected evolution of the illness, patient adherence to the therapeutic and post-discharge care plan, in general, have also revealed to be problematic. Often neglected, these two elements have been pinpointed as relevant factors for readmission.In Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH&RC) is a renowned 1600-bedded tertiary referral hospital that provides the highest level of specialized healthcare, recognized as one of the leading healthcare organizations in the Middle East. Its Nursing Affairs Department along with the Institution’s Heart Center, accredited by the Joint Commission International, the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care, Cardiovascular Excellence, and others, have been a pioneer in specialized surgeries, interventions, procedures and nursing care. In another country-wide exclusive project, both departments developed and implemented a Cardiac Home Care Program. Biography: Goncalo Placido is a Nurse Specialist in Medical-Surgical Nursing with a broad expertise in Primary Care, Peri-Operative Nursing, Infectious Diseases, Oncology, Cardiology and Emergency Nursing. Goncalo holds a Masters Degree in Nursing with a Specialization in Medical-Surgical Nursing and a MBA in Healthcare Services Management and Administration. He currently works at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center – Saudi Arabia, as the Head Nurse of the Cardiovascular Telemetry Unit.