Welcome to the Heart Failure Clinic at the Good Health Center
The Heart Failure clinic at the Good Health Center located at MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital manages patients with heart failure at all stages through multiple services in the outpatient setting. We specialize in the full range of heart failure—from new onset to advanced stages.
Our primary goals are to help improve our patients’ quality of life through education, optimizing their medications, and helping them maintain a healthy lifestyle. The heart failure clinic at the Good Health Center does this through a multidisciplinary approach including heart failure providers, nurses, pharmacists, and community health advocates. Other services include cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation and a dietitian.
Benefits of the Heart Failure Clinic at the Good Health Center
- All patients are seen and evaluated by a heart failure-trained provider with an Advanced Heart Failure cardiologist available for additional consultation.
- All patients may bring one guest to accompany them to their appointment.
- Free gym membership (with medical clearance) at the Good Health Center.
- Monthly heart failure support group on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 1:30-3pm (current and past heart failure patients) run by a licensed clinical social worker.
A referral may be required
To be seen at the Heart Failure Clinic, you need to have a referral. This can include:
- A referral from your cardiologist
- A referral upon hospital discharge from any inpatient team
What can I expect during my visit?
Each visit is approximately 60-90 minutes depending on your needs at the time of the visit. We offer a comfortable environment for receiving care.
Newly diagnosed with heart failure
During your first visit, you will meet with one of our advanced heart failure physicians to develop a plan to manage your heart failure. You will also have an EKG, get lab work done, a medication review, and your fluids checked.
You will also be provided with multiple tools to help manage your heart failure including:
- Scale to weigh yourself daily
- 32 oz containers to measure your liquid intake
- compression stockingsblood pressure log to record your blood pressure
- weight log to record your weight and note any significant gains or losses
Follow up visits
After your initial visit, you and your provider will determine how often you should visit the Good Health Center.
During a regularly scheduled follow up visit, your provider may do the following:
- recheck your lab work
- review, adjust and/or prescribe your medications
- check your fluid
- optimize your medications
- administer IV diuretics (if necessary)
- schedule your next appointment
Urgent (unscheduled visits)
While we prefer you make an appointment, we understand the need for an urgent appointment to avoid an Emergency Room visit.
This visit will be focused on your acute needs and will most likely include IV diuretics to help you quickly get rid of excess fluid. The heart failure provider will make a plan specifically for you and to avoid a hospitalization.
Program information
Getting started with the MedStar Health Ryan White Program is simple, supportive, and confidential. We’re here to help you access the care and services you need every step of the way.
Registration
The Ryan White team will meet with you separately or after your physician's appointment. Please allow additional time after your appointment (about 30 to 45 minutes) to meet with the Ryan White staff, complete bloodwork, receive vaccinations, and schedule your follow-up appointment.
To help make your first visit run more smoothly, please bring:
- Your insurance card
- A photo ID
- Any referrals or other necessary insurance information
New patients should arrive 30 minutes before their first appointment to complete registration and medical record setup. Returning patients should arrive 15 minutes early to sign in and register. To receive financial assistance through the Ryan White Program, you’ll need to provide proof of income, which is reviewed twice each year.
Behavioral Health Services
Groups and Individual therapy appointments are available only for Ryan White Eligible patients with referrals from their physicians or Ryan White Support Staff. For more information call 202-877-9136.
Patient portal
We encourage all clients to enroll in the MWHC Patient Portal as this enables more efficient and rapid care coordination online. All physicians and Ryan White Support team members can be contacted through the patient portal.
Paperwork assistance
Our team can help you complete the forms needed for services, benefits, or other support programs. If the paperwork requires an in-person medical exam, but there is an approaching deadline for completion, the team can try to help schedule an earlier appointment for completion of the paperwork.
To ensure timely processing:
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Allow 1–2 weeks for paperwork to be completed.
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Submit forms at least 2 weeks before their due date or expiration.
Patient resources
Learn more about our program and services:
Client Advisory Board (CAB)
Your experience and feedback are important to us. The Client Advisory Board gives patients the opportunity to share ideas, suggest program improvements, and help shape the future of the program.
If you’re interested in volunteering for just a few hours every three months, please contact 202-877-0679 to learn more or join the list of interested clients.
Ryan White Program in the news
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.