“Listen to, follow and manage your heart.”
HF SMART — Heart Failure Self-Management And Readmission Prevention Technique — is a comprehensive cardiac care program designed to support patients living with heart failure in the home setting.
Administered by a nurse practitioner, HF SMART provides patients and caregivers with tools to recognize symptoms, better understand their condition, and know when changes may require additional attention.
Recognize changes and symptoms that may indicate the condition is worsening and require additional attention.
Provide education and support that helps patients manage heart failure while remaining safely at home.
Help patients and caregivers better understand heart failure, symptoms, medications, and daily care needs.
Encourage daily monitoring and timely communication when changes in symptoms occur.
The transitional component of HF SMART allows patients to continue receiving support as they return to and remain in the home setting.
Kim Bruno, RN, oversees the Aquinas HF SMART program and provides specialized support for patients with a history of heart-related conditions.
Kim works directly with patients and families to provide education about medications, diet, fluid intake, symptom awareness, and the day-to-day management of heart failure. She works alongside the Aquinas clinical team to monitor changes in a patient’s condition and support communication with the patient’s cardiologist and primary care physician.
Aquinas encourages HF SMART patients to use the information below to help determine what zone they are in when completing their CHF SMART Diary.
The goal is to remain in the Green Zone. If symptoms move into the Yellow Zone, contact Aquinas as soon as possible, as this may indicate a need for further assessment. Patients should check and record their weight daily and contact their nurse when necessary.
ALL CLEAR.
THIS ZONE IS YOUR GOAL
CAUTION
THIS ZONE IS A WARNING
EMERGENCY
The Aquinas HF SMART program provides cardiac programming, clinical support, education, and training to patients and caregivers in the home setting.
By helping patients understand symptoms, daily monitoring, medications, and their plan of care, HF SMART provides additional support for managing heart failure between visits and recognizing when changes may require attention.
Talk with the Aquinas Home Health team to learn more about HF SMART and whether the program may be appropriate for you, a loved one, or a patient.
