How to establish a successful destination therapy ventricular assist device program

Heart failure is one of the most important cardiovascular problems in the United States with 5.7 million adults afflicted in 2015 (1). This number is projected to increase to eight million (one out of every 33 adults) by the year 2030 (2,3). Overall treatment costs in 2012 were almost $31 billion and are anticipated to reach almost $70 billion by 2030 (2). Currently, approximately 5,000 to 6,000 patients are treated annually with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). However, projections range from 35,000 to 150,000 annual cases (4,5).