Case management program for patients with chronic heart failure: effectiveness in terms of mortality, hospital admissions and costs.

Background: At 360 000 cases annually, heart failure is the most common main diagnosis in adults in German hospitals. Treating heart failure is expensive. This study tested whether patients in the case management program (CMP) "CorBene--Better Care for Patients With Heart Failure" have a lower mortality rate and lower hospital admission and readmission rates than patients receiving regular management.