Heart failure is increasing in prevalence and carries a very poor prognosis. Heart failure centers (HFC) with specialized management programs have been proposed to improve treatment adherence, improve functional capacity and reduce mortality.

To evaluate the effect of the HFC in Beit Shemesh on clinical outcome and heath service utilization.

Retrospective cohort study. Data was retrieved from Clalit Health Service records for all heart failure patients in Beit Shemesh area for 2013–2014. Patients treated in the HFC were compared with heart failure patients not treated by the center.

The cohort included 429 patients, 82 (19%) were treated in the HFC. Basic patients’ characteristics were similar in both groups. Patients who were treated at the HFC visited their family physician more often than patients who did not visit the center (62.4 visits vs. 38.5 P<0.0001). They visited the emergency room more often (0.75 visits vs. 0.41 P=0.003) and were hospitalized more (2.47 times vs. 1.41 P=0.0002) during the study period compare with patients who did not visit the center. Both groups demonstrated a downward trend in ICU admissions. A significant reduction in mortality rate was observed in the group of patients treated in the HFC (6.1% deaths in the study period compare with 36.3% in the control group P<0.0001); follow-up of 3 year survival rate demonstrated a significant reduction in mortality (Fig. 1). Adjustment for various confounders did not change the result.

Treatment in the heart failure center in addition to standard care was associated with a higher health service utilization rate but a much lower mortality rate.