Heart Failure Program
Heart failure is a devastating condition—the most common diagnosis leading to hospitalization in the United States, and the most costly.
Aurora's heart failure program provides the whole spectrum of services for the patient and his/her family related to heart failure. We also offer a continuity of care with caregivers who manage patients throughout their treatment. An Aurora patient may have the same coordinator and often the same physician for the rest of his or her life, which can be a long time. We also offer support groups and host and an annual Celebration of Life event.
The Aurora Health Care Mechanical Circulatory Support Program is the largest in the nation. We have a tremendous level of success—a more than 90 percent survival rate. In 2010, we implanted more than 95 ventricular assist devices (VADs), and we are on the brink of implanting our 500th VAD. We expect the number of VADs we implant to grow 10 to 15 percent per year.
Treatment includes medication, heart transplant, ventricular assist devices (VADs) and total artificial hearts. VADs can serve as a gap until transplantation or as a form of destination (permanent mechanical) therapy for older patients.
A heart transplant is a high-risk, high-reward type situation. Our transplant program is in the top 10 percent in the country. We have performed hundreds of these procedures and we expect the number to increase to 50 to 60 a year.