What Needs to Change in the Face of New Tech in Heart Failure

A joint statement by the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) and the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN), published on January 27, 2026, emphasizes the value of integrating technology into all facets of heart failure care. The statement aims to provide clinicians with suggestions for a more team-based, forward-thinking, and actionable system of care.

Integrated health technologies (IHTs) have become extremely prominent in heart failure care of late, allowing for timely clinical intervention and facilitating care coordination between disciplines. However, widespread challenges, including suboptimal engagement from patients, digital literacy and access disparities, and poor interoperability, have stymied the uptake process. This document guides clinicians in overcoming these challenges to optimize care.1

In the fifth episode of a 6-part HCPLive Special Report, Adam DeVore, MD, MHS, and Laura Peters, DNP, come together to discuss the intrinsic value of including recent technological advancements in standard clinical care.

As heart failure management evolves, many clinicians are questioning whether traditional care models—anchored by fixed follow-up intervals and episodic clinic visits—are sufficient for the complexity of modern treatment strategies. In a recent panel discussion on the implementation of technology in heart failure care, experts explored how digital tools and emerging technologies may help health systems address the practical challenges of delivering guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) in a timely and patient-centered way.

One of the key themes raised by the panel was the limitation of conventional care schedules. Historically, patients with heart failure have often been managed through structured follow-up intervals—return visits every several weeks or months. However, as panelists noted, this model may not align with the realities of optimizing therapy in today’s guideline-driven landscape. Achieving target doses of GDMT frequently requires rapid titration and close monitoring, which can be difficult to accomplish within traditional clinic workflows.

The challenge becomes even more apparent during the vulnerable post-discharge period. Current recommendations often call for follow-up within a week after hospitalization for heart failure, yet evidence consistently shows that initiating and optimizing GDMT within the first 1–2 months can significantly reduce rehospitalizations and mortality. Translating these recommendations into practice can be logistically demanding for health systems, clinicians, and patients alike.

Technology may offer a pathway to bridge this gap. Remote monitoring platforms, digital communication tools, and virtual care models can allow clinicians to assess patient status and adjust therapies without requiring frequent in-person visits. By extending care beyond the walls of the clinic, these solutions may help preserve valuable appointment slots for new patients or those with complex needs who require direct evaluation.

Looking ahead, panelists emphasized that the next frontier in heart failure technology may involve the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). Although AI applications remain relatively limited in many health systems today, experts agree that adoption is accelerating. In the context of heart failure care, AI has the potential to assist clinicians in identifying early warning signals, predicting decompensation, and supporting medication titration strategies based on real-time patient data.

Our Panelists:

• Adam DeVore, MD, MHS, is an associate professor of medicine in the division of cardiology at Duke University School of Medicine, as well as the medical director of the Duke Heart Transplant program.
• Laura Peters, DNP, is an assistant professor of medicine in the advanced heart failure and cardiac transplant section within the division of cardiology at the University of Colorado, as well as a senior clinical instructor in the University of Colorado College of Nursing and the director of the Children’s Hospital Colorado and UCHealth Heart Transplant Transition Program.

Editors’ Note: Peters and DeVore report no relevant disclosures.

References

1. Cajita M, Peters L, Rao VN, et al. Integrated Health Technologies in heart failure: A scientific statement from the Heart Failure Society of America and the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses. Journal of Cardiac Failure. Published online January 27, 2026. doi:10.1016/j.cardfail.2025.08.029

2. Heart Failure Society of America. Integrated Health Technologies in Heart Failure: A Scientific Statement from the Heart Failure Society of America and American Association of Heart Failure Nurses. January 27, 2026. Accessed March 5, 2026. https://hfsa.org/integrated-health-technologies-heart-failure-scientific-statement-heart-failure-society-america-and