Alleo Health Announces ‘Heart Touch Journey Program’

Heart Touch Journey program to benefit hospice and palliative care patients with cardiac disease

Alleo Health System, the parent company of Hospice of Chattanooga and Palliative Care Services, announces the launch of the new Heart Touch Journey Program, designed to maximize the quality of life for cardiac disease patients who need assistance with pain and symptom management.

Heart Touch Journey will result in fewer hospital readmissions, more time spent at home, and more control and extra support for patients and families. The goal of the program is to manage patients’ symptoms and pain to increase their quality of life to the benefit of the patients and their families. 

“The Heart Touch Journey Program significantly enhances Alleo Health System’s capacity for providing the same quality-of-life care to hospice and now palliative care patients for which we are known across 22 counties in southeast Tennessee, northwest Georgia, and western North Carolina,” said Tracy Wood, CEO of Alleo Health. “Heart Touch Journey provides a full range of medical, psychosocial and spiritual support to patients and their families so that they are not facing their challenging health journey alone.”

Each participant in the Heart Touch Journey Program is contacted daily by phone to check on patient status and provided a visit from a clinician if needed. Patients and caregivers also have 24-hour, seven days a week access to a program clinical practitioner from their own home. Patients will receive a comfort kit with all necessary cardiac medications to help them manage pain, anxiety, and symptoms. Program eligibility includes patients showing a number of critical conditions that could be managed at home with the oversight of our palliative care team in conjunction with their physicians. A patient experiencing a cycle of increasing symptoms such as weight gain or loss, anxiety, swelling of abdomen and limbs, fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, congestion and sleeping during the day may also be eligible for this new cardiac program.

“Many of our Palliative Care Services patients or hospice patients suffer from congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease,” said Dr. Greg Phelps, Chief Medical Officer of Alleo Health System. “Our goal is to manage their symptoms and pain to increase their quality of life -- not only for the patients themselves but also their families. This program seeks to reduce lengthy and uncomfortable hospital visits. To date, there have been no hospital readmissions for patients who have participated in this program.” 

The patient’s physician remains in control with an added layer of communication and support from our clinicians in the home. While serving hospice patients and now palliative care patients, the program can also help the patient sort through information regarding goals of care and patient care priorities, Dr. Phelps noted.

“Heart Touch Journey offers education, support, and treatment through a team approach to addressing a cardiac patient’s needs,” Dr. Phelps added. 

Palliative care should be considered if the family is overwhelmed by the patient's care regimen at home or if the patient has multiple office visits, emergency room visits, or hospitalizations. Hospice should be considered when the patient is given six month or less if the diagnosis runs its course.

For any questions or to make a referral, please call Palliative Care Services at 423-892-1533. For questions or to make a referral for hospice care patients, please call 423-892-1533.