At a recent Sutter Hospital meeting with their SNF partners, we were informed that our next meeting would focus on their new initiative to provide optimal transitions for patients with heart failure hospitalizations.  Many of those in attendance were perplexed by this development, since they thought they were already doing that.  

However, the management of heart failure is a rapidly evolving area of medicine with evidence now supporting rapid introduction of 4 classes of medicines while at the same time maximizing their doses rapidly.  I was not surprised by this initiative, since the post-pandemic literature is replete with evidence supporting outcomes of improved quality of life, heart function, and reduced readmission rates.  Unfortunately, the implementation of these heart failure programs is complex and requires added practical education for providers.  

As an auditory learner and dog walker, I have been exploring various apps that might provide such education.  I am pleased to recommend the following apps which are not too chatty and provide detailed updates for front-line providers that directly impact the care we provide in the PALTC space. 

1. Annals on Call – available on many platforms, but the one on Spotify quickly identifies the topic and its duration.  Here is a link to the June 19, 2023 one that discusses “Starting therapy with SGLT2 inhibitors for heart failure”.     https://open.spotify.com/episode/0j87p03vt0tSsU6LNjfykT
2. IM Core - is a source for digestible IM content and is also available on many podcast platforms. Here is a link for the September 20, 2023 issue on “Guideline Directed Medical Therapy for Heart Failure – 5 Pearls Segment”.  This link also contains an excellent written summary of the key pearls with supportive visual charts.  A PDF of this info is available for your document file. https://www.coreimpodcast.com/2023/09/20/guideline-directed-medical-therapy-part-ii/
3. Diabetes Core Updates – available on many platforms.  Sponsored by the ADA (American Diabetes Association) as a way to update front line providers on important developments in diabetes care that have occurred since the most recent SOC (Standards of Care) publication, which can be found in Diabetes Care journal each January.  In addition to monthly updates, there are special editions.  I particularly benefited from the recent one on “Management of Diabetes in Geriatric Adults”.  Here is the link: https://diabetesjournals.org/journals/pages/geriatrics_podcasts
4. Speaking of Apps, the ADA has now placed their Annual SOC (Standards of Care) for diabetes care in an app available on Apple and Google platforms that allows almost instant access to detailed recommendations for various aspects of diabetes care.  The app is called:  ADA SOC.
5. GeriPal – is an entertaining platform developed by Drs. Eric Widera and Alex Smith at UCSF that explores recent developments in the field of Palliative Care, which I view as a basic part of the care we should be providing routinely to each of our patients in the PALTC space.  The past month’s weekly podcasts have focused on improving our communication skills in various settings of care.  Hers is a link to the one on “Miscommunication in Medicine”.  https://geripal.org/miscommunication-in-medicine-a-podcast-with-shunichi-nakagawa-abby-rosenberg-and-don-sullivan/

I know our readers may have other podcast platforms that have helped you provide evidence-based, cutting-edge care in the PALTC space.  If that is the case, I hope you will post info on the podcasts in the response section of this article with a link to a particularly valuable resource.