HEALTAHR TCARE
LEADING THE WAY IN
PALLIATIVE CARDIAC CARE
By Rafael J. Sciullo
Rafael J. Sciullo
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 137
Empath Health is dedicated to
meeting the needs of care and
comfort for all patient populations.
One large population we serve
is patients with cardiac disease. This
disease affects people of many ages and
cultures and is the leading cause of death
in the U.S.
Heart failure is a particularly distressing
condition. It causes shortness of breath,
excess fluid, swelling and other
discomfort. Palliative-focused cardiac
care provides an expert layer of care
coordination, education and pain and
symptom treatment to help improve
comfort for patients, keep patients at
home and support families.
Overseeing our new Heart Failure
Home Care program for patients living
with advanced cardiac disease is our
newly appointed director of cardiac
programs, Janet Roman, DNP, RN, APRN,
ACNP-BC, CHFN, ACHPN. Dr. Roman
is a board-certified acute-care advanced
practice registered nurse. She uniquely
holds additional nursing certifications
in advanced heart failure and advanced
hospice and palliative care.
Dr. Roman and other Empath Health
leadership are specially training our nurses
in the heart failure disease process and
advanced in-home treatments for symptom
management, as well as training home
care therapists and home health aides to
preemptively spot subtle physical changes
in patients that can become uncontrollable
and lead to hospitalizations. Her work also
involves educating regional cardiology
groups about our cardiac programs and
providing clinical oversight for patients
with our palliative care team.
This specialized work is a labor of love
for Roman. She developed cardiac disease
management and palliative care programs
for patients across acute and post-acute
care in a Philadelphia health system and at
the New Orleans Department of Veterans
Affairs. She also has performed research
studies, taught nurses, educated providers,
worked in nursing and served as a flight
medic in the Air Force.
“I’ve always wanted to go into the
medical field. Nursing is my passion. Very
few of us are certified in both cardiac care
and palliative care. It is a privilege to be
able to take both of my passions and bridge
them together to create a program for our
community. I enjoy helping patients and
giving back to the community,” Dr. Roman
shared.
The Heart Failure Home Care program
provides a palliative approach of care
review, collaboration with physicians,
goal planning, nursing education about
nutrition and weight management, pain
and symptom treatment and other support
as needed.
“There’s no cure for heart failure.
Patients’ number one distressing symptom
is shortness of breath, and that causes
anxiety, which then causes more shortness
of breath. Shortness of breath usually is
what leads patients to the hospital. They
need palliative care integrated into their
everyday care. This comprehensive
home-based program aims to decrease
heart failure symptoms, decrease
hospitalizations and increase quality of
life for patients. It also brings peace of
mind and additional support for families,”
she explained.
Her care helps advise, plan with and
comfort patients.
“My job is to manage patients’ symptoms
and improve their quality of life. I talk with
patients when they are feeling their best.
I talk openly and honestly. We figure out
their goals of care. I ask questions like
“What do you want?” or “When do you
want to be put on a breathing machine?”
She also helps educate and support
families.
“I make sure families understand the
disease process and the management
of symptoms. Sometimes they don’t
understand that patients are tired and need
a nap. The heart’s one job is pumping fluid
forward, and if it can’t do that job then it’s
failing. I also answer questions like, “What
do we do if they have chest pain?,” “When
do we go to the hospital?” or “When do
we call 911?”
We are proud to lead this new model
of care and improve quality of life in our
community. Call us at (727) 467-7423 to
learn more about our programs. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Rafael J. Sciullo is president
and CEO of Empath Health, a nonprofit
integrated network of care for those affected
by chronic or advanced illness. For more
information about services, call (727) 467-7423
or visit EmpathHealth.org.