Palliative/Hospice - Heart Failure

American Heart Association Certified Care™

The Palliative/Hospice - Heart Failure certification program elevates care for patients with heart failure during their advanced stages.

This certification establishes a framework for evaluating hospice agencies based on the American Heart Association’s scientific guidelines for heart failure patients. It validates adherence to our standards, emphasizing program management, patient and caregiver education, care coordination, and clinical management.


American Heart Association Certified Care Heart Check for Palliative/hospice Heart Failure
Spotlight shining on individual

See Who Stands Out Among Hospice Agencies!

Download our current map of agencies working to improve care for late-stage heart failure patients. These certified sites meet the AHA key standards and a rigorous review process.

How it Benefits Patients & Caregivers

  • Assurance that the care being received is at the heart of the certification
  • Knowledge that the agency can provide services designed by heart failure and palliative/hospice experts using professional evaluation criteria supported by AHA science
  • Confidence their heart failure treatment is coordinated from admission and throughout palliative/hospice care
Patient and caregiver holding hands
Caregiver and senior

How it Benefits Agencies

  • Opportunity to promote an AHA certification
  • Opportunities for increased and timelier referrals
  • Access to collaborating with other Palliative/Hospice Heart Failure certified agencies nationwide
  • Consultative services from AHA staff including program management, patient and caregiver education and support, care coordination, and clinical management.

How it Benefits Referral Sources & Insurance Providers

  • Support care coordination and communication between the referral source and agencies, enhancing the continuum of care for the patient
  • Provide confidence that agency’s heart failure program is based on standards built on AHA science
  • Opportunity to demonstrate quality of care of program through measures and metrics
Professional woman

Getting Started

Watch helpful webinars for expert perspectives and insight from other certified sites. Taking the next step in achieving certification is easier than you think! 
Smiling nurse sitting at a computer
Introduction Webinar
Understand requirements and benefits of certification
Resources Webinar
Two organizations share their model for certification