AdventHealth’s Sebring branch launched a heart health program providing free heart monitoring kits to patients with cardiac conditions in Highlands County, a rural area of Florida. The kits include digital scales, blood pressure monitors, pill organizers, pulse oximeters and fluid measuring devices, allowing patients to track their health progress from home and share data with their physicians. The initiative is run by doctors in training and has distributed over 50 kits since its launch in 2023, resulting in an 8% decrease in hospital readmissions for heart failure. The program works to make health care accessible in rural areas where medical facilities are limited.

Why we did it

Heart disease remains the world’s leading cause of death, with rural areas like Highlands County facing unique geographical barriers to care. The monitoring kit program addresses challenges to accessing healthcare in a region where residents have limited access to advanced medical assistance. AdventHealth Sebring identified that many cardiac patients struggle with managing their conditions independently after discharge, leading to preventable readmissions. By providing free monitoring tools and establishing remote communication between patients and physicians, AdventHealth aims to extend medical care beyond hospital walls, enabling patients to take control of their heart health at home and reduce barriers impacting rural residents’ access to cardiac care.