Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

• Committee Chair Name & Credentials:
  Terri Allison, DNP, ACNP-BC, FAANP
 

 

DNP Project Abstract

A-CHATTR: Adult Congenital Heart Access to Timely Referrals

Purpose
Referral of Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) patients to certified congenital providers is associated with improved survival. The purpose of this project was to identify ACHD patients receiving referrals, improve referral rates of ACHD patients to a specialty provider, implement a streamlined referral process and identify patients lost to follow up.

Methods
A retrospective chart review was conducted at a cardiology clinic of patients assigned ICD-10 code for ACHD to determine if referral to a certified ACHD provider had been made and identify patient’s time between visits. Data analysis pre and post automatic referral processes showed improvement, effectiveness, and efficiency of referrals.

Results
Barriers at the practice site prevented project implementation. Data from systematic evidence-based literature review (Stout et al., 2019) demonstrates ACHD patients cared for at specialized centers following ACHD guideline recommendations have lower mortality and referrals for transition of care are crucial.

Implications for Practice
This will inform clinical practice settings, who care for ACHD patients, the impact of adherence to a referral to an ACHD specialty center. It will guide providers to implement an efficient, automatic referral process to ensure timely referrals which will improve follow-up collaborative care management.