Heart Failure
Turning Failure Into Success
Heart failure is a condition in which the heart is unable to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including:
- Shortness of breath
- Increased heart rate
- Weight gain
- Swelling of the feet or legs
- Fatigue
- Difficulty performing everyday tasks
Heart failure is a common, costly, disabling and potentially deadly condition.
Our goal is to reduce hospitalizations and improve heart failure patient care by providing intensive personalized therapy and by developing individual programs that educate patients about heart failure, optimize chronic medications and help patients manage their disease. Heart failure management is a team effort, making you and your physician the key players on the team. Our staff will work closely with your physician to keep them fully apprised of your progress. 
Holy Cross Health is the first organization in Broward County to achieve The Joint Commission's Advanced Heart Failure Certification. This means that this Congestive Heart Failure program:
- provides the next generation of heart failure care
- has met and seeks to maintain The Joint Commission’s high standards in providing stroke or heart failure care.
Our expert team is led by Joshua Larned, MD, medical director, who is a fellowship-trained Congestive Heart Failure specialist and is Board certified in Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology, Cardiovascular Disease and Internal Medicine, along with Kristine Raimondo, MSN, ARNP-BC, a specialized heart failure advanced registered nurse practitioner.
The American Heart Association awarded Holy Cross Hospital with the the Get With The Guidelines®– Heart Failure Gold-Plus Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation’s secondary prevention guidelines for patients with heart failure.
Holy Cross Health also received the association’s Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll - an initiative that provides hospitals with educational tools, prevention programs and treatment guidelines designed to reduce the risk of heart failure patients ending up back in the hospital. Hospitals are required to meet criteria that improves medication adherence, provides early follow-up care and coordination and enhances patient education.
Heart Failure Clinic Video Overview
LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) Shared Care Facility
Holy Cross Health's Heart Failure Clinic in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is a designated LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) shared care facility. The Clinic helps previously end-stage heart failure patients through LVAD, cardiac and heart failure management while they are traveling or moving to South Florida, away from their implantation site. The Clinic works closely with implantation sites around the country to ensure good quality of life and peace of mind for patients as they travel.
LVAD and Heart Failure Management Video Overview
Heart Failure Clinic Location
The Heart Failure Clinic, which also includes our LVAD management services, is located in the Advanced Cardiac Therapeutics office on the main hospital campus (4725 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308) first floor, next to the Admitting Lobby. Patients may enter through the hospital's main entrance on Federal Highway. Complimentary valet parking is available during regular business hours.
After you have received your physician referral to our program, contact the Heart Failure Clinic at 954-542-7974 to schedule your first appointment. If you have any questions regarding the Heart Failure Clinic, please ask for our Clinic Coordinator at 954-229-7974. Se habla español.