News | Published: Saturday, October 19, 2024
At CV Transforum Fall’24 in Denver, Frank Briggs, PharmD, MPH, FASHP, FACHE, vice president, Service Line, West Virginia University (WVU) Heart & Vascular Institute, and George G. Sakos, DO, FACC, professor and interim chair, Cardiology, WVU, shared their institution’s innovative strategies to improve cardiovascular care for patients living in healthcare deserts across West Virginia. With fewer than 60 acute care hospitals in the state, and many designated as critical access facilities lacking cardiologists, the discussion highlighted pressing challenges and potential solutions.
West Virginia has the highest obesity rate in the U.S., with nearly 40% of residents classified as obese, contributing to soaring rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes and hypertension. Factors like the state’s aging population, low health literacy rates and high numbers of smokers increase the population’s risk for CVD. The state’s dense mountainous regions with limited high-speed internet and geographic barriers that complicate transportation make access difficult for both patients and providers.
Participants discussed leveraging technology to enhance care delivery, though the limitations of telehealth in rural areas, where 36% lack reliable internet, remain a significant hurdle. Clinicians have been using local businesses like Sheetz to provide high-speed Wi-Fi access to avoid disconnections during telehealth calls.
“Access to care is our biggest issue,” said Briggs. “We need to find ways to utilize our limited cardiology workforce more effectively, while also bringing in new talent.”
Currently, West Virginia employs about 70 cardiologists, relying heavily on primary care physicians (PCPs) to fill the gap. PCPs collaborate through a robust research network, community-based primary care residencies and telehealth hotlines, supporting critical access hospitals that don’t have cardiologists. To attract and retain new cardiologists, Briggs and Sakos discussed creative recruitment strategies, including visa programs for international physicians and training programs for echocardiogram technicians.
In addition to working closely within the multidisciplinary teams at WVU, providers also collaborate closely with community resources. Initiatives include mobile health clinics and partnerships with local pharmacies to educate patients, and educational programs to improve health literacy and facilitate early identification of CVD.
West Virginia has the largest number of independently owned pharmacies per capita. The team at WVU partners with locally owned pharmacies and facilitates a heart failure (HF) certificate program for independent pharmacists. Pharmacists then serve as an important ally to recognize patients who have HF based on their medications and encourage adherence.
“By engaging community leaders and fostering collaboration, we can develop more effective, patient-centered solutions,” said Sakos. The WVU team advocates for improving cardiovascular care with local leaders and through discussions with larger advocacy leaders like the American College of Cardiology. As the conference concluded, attendees remained optimistic. “We have a long way to go, but by advocating for sustainable models and innovative care delivery, we can truly transform cardiovascular health outcomes in West Virginia,” Sakos noted.
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