1. Mended Hearts: Making a Difference in Patients’ Lives
“It’s great to be alive – and to help others!”
I’d like to welcome all of you to our presentation this afternoon/evening. I Hope you’ll find it interesting and informative.
Mended Hearts is a group of non-profit volunteers dedicated to the education and support of cardiac patients and their families, in addition to other interested parties.
Our members may have had a cardiac procedure, or may just want to avoid one in the future.
Some of us exercise regularly, some do not. Some of us are thin while others struggle with obesity. Some of us are non-smokers, others are still fighting the fight. Some of us are disciplined and some have difficulty avoiding bad habits.
In other words, we are just like the general public – and maybe like you. Our advantage is that we’ve “been there and done that”. This helps patients feel comfortable with us.
Those of us that have had a heart event believe that we are blessed to have survived. We get much more then we give. Our logo defines what we are – We are mended, but not cured of heart disease.

2. Mended Hearts, Inc. History
Founded in Boston in 1951 by Four Heart Surgery Patients
Doctor Dwight Harken Support
Incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in 1955
MHI was founded in Boston by 2 female and 2 male cardiac patients. They felt that it was equally important to provide support for cardiac patients after, as well as during their hospital stay.
Dr. Dwight Harken became the medical liaison and mentor for the group. Dr. Harken was a skilled surgeon, perfecting much of his knowledge during WW II, where he discovered that heart surgery was not so complex that surgical intervention was impossible. He performed heart surgery on 130 patients during the war without losing one.
MH incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1955, and in 2012 we were happy to celebrated our 60th anniversary.
We are strategically aligned with the American College of Cardiology, as well as various other medical organizations, with common goals for improved patient outcomes.
Today we have over 18,000 members and 300 chapters

3. Mission Statement
“Inspiring hope and improving the quality of life for heart patients and their families through ongoing peer-to-peer support”
We are dedicated to inspiring hope in cardiac patients and their families.
Our motto is: “It’s Great to be Alive, and to Help Others”.
We believe we have survived in order to share the good news with others.
We take the motto very seriously, and look for any opportunity to offer support and education to heart patients.

4. MHI Today 300 Chapters & Satellites in U.S. 20,000 Members
one in Canada
20,000 Members
450 Hospitals/Cardiac Rehab Centers
Over 225,000 Patient Visits annually
Provide Support outside of chapters:
Phone: 888-HEART-99 By
Online Community: mendedhearts.org/inspire, Facebook and Twitter
MHI and MLH have 300 active chapters and satellites with over 20,000 members in both the United States and Canada.
We have over 2,400 trained visitors who visited in excess of 225,000 patients last year throughout the 450 hospitals we serve.
There are one million new cardiac patients each year. You can see we only touch less than a quarter of the new cardiac patients.
We look for new members and visitors to increase our ability to expand our support to existing hospitals and communities, in addition to those not yet reached.
We also offer support via the internet, through a national toll free 888 number and via an Inspire online community.

5. Organizational Objectives
Visit / Support Patients / Families
Support Caregivers
Offer Educational Programs
Promote Community Outreach
Assist Medical Professionals by Improving Outcomes Through Peer-to-Peer Patient Connections
Visit patients and provide ongoing support to them and their families.
Offer support to non-family caregivers.
Provide education programs focused on heart disease prevention and treatment. Provide additional programs on related medical and social areas; pain management, dentistry/periodontal care, arthritis, chiropractic care, paramedics, pharmacists, nutritionists, social services, etc.
Promote community outreach via MH presentations at Senior Centers, Rehab Centers, Health Fairs, Churches, Schools, Libraries, etc.
We believe there is an ongoing need for support after the medical professionals have finished. We attempt to satisfy that need for support and ongoing education by using peer-to-peer patient connections

6. Patient Visiting Program
Provide Extensive Training
Comply with Hospital Protocols
Discuss Visiting Methods
Confidentiality / Privacy / HIPAA
Comply with Legal/Ethical Issues
Improve Heart Health for Disease Control
Never provide medical advice, or recommend doctors or hospitals
Patient visiting is a rewarding experience. Not all are comfortable performing this valuable service. Patient visits are performed in person, via telephone or the internet.
It first involves in depth training on a number of subjects, along with do’s and dont’s.
Visitors do not offer medical advice or recommend doctors or hospitals. We will always recommend that they contact or obtain their own health care advice on these subject matters.
Emphasis is placed on patient confidentiality and privacy. This is critical in order to comply with HIPPA and hospital protocols.
We never visit isolation patients. We follow guidelines with regard to hand washing and always ensure that we do everything possible to protect the patients and ourselves.
We never visit when we feel “under the weather”. Better a patient goes unvisited rather then picking up a virus or infection from the visitor.
We can’t stress enough the importance of taking visiting responsibly. Be there when you should be, dressed appropriately, and with a pleasant disposition.

7. Chapter Roles Support Patients and Families via Programs
Encourage Membership and Involvement
Perform Community Outreach
Elect officers and Operate Within National Bylaws as well as Hospital and HIPPA Guidelines and Rules
The chapters offer a variety of programs to educate as well as entertain members. You should realize that it is important to balance non-cardiac events with medical sessions.
Most chapters have very active hospital visiting programs. Each visitor participates in intensive training which is required by national and coordinated with the local hospital volunteer services group.
Many of the chapters are active in the community, striving to raise awareness of the organization in terms of who we are, and what we do to support patients and their caregivers.
Chapters are responsible for operating within our national by-laws, as well as hospital and HIPPA guidelines.
In addition, chapters are responsible for providing financial, visiting, membership and other reports to the national organization for consolidation at the national level, and for reporting to various government agencies.

8. Caregiver Support Mended Hearts recognizes the role of Caregivers
Integral, collaborative effort in the patient’s recovery
Education and support available to patients and caregivers
Caregivers inspire others by sharing personal experiences (visiting patient families)
Tips and reminders:

9. Mended Hearts Major Goals
Reach & Retention
Enlist and retain more heart patients and their families as MHI members
Patient & Caregiver Outcomes
Offer hope & improve the quality of life for heart patients and their families
Organization
Strengthen organizational capacity and effectiveness at the national, regional, and local chapter levels
Advocacy
Ensure the patient and caregiver interests are reflected in the legislative and regulatory arenas
Research
Quantify the value of MHI’s programs to patients and explore opportunities to increase impact
Funding
Inspire chapters, members, and families to support MHI national
How do we provide Hope and Inspiration??? Let’s quickly discuss our major goals as outlined in our strategic plan. They include, Reach and Retention of Patients, Improving patient outcomes, increase our brand awareness, advocate on behalf of the cardiac community, quantify our value with thoughtful research, strengthen our ogranization with chapter education, and inspire chapters and members to support MHI through increased donations.
Brand
Increase awareness of the MHI brand nationally and in local communities 9

10. Goals- 5 Year Strategic Plan
Enhance Patient and Caregiver programs
Increase Reach and Retention
Effectively Advocate for Heart Patients
Improve Brand Recognition
Quantify our value through research
Further fundraising opportunities

11. Getting Started Founding 10 members=satellite of host chap
Founding 10 members=chartered chapter
Determine Chapter structure
Join online:
National dues: $20 Individual annual or $150 Life; $30 Family annual or $210 Family Life
Determine optional chapter dues (0 up to national amounts)
Elect chapter officers – Pres., VP, Sec., Treas.
Coordinate Hospital Visiting program
Receive appropriate Visitor training – MH/hospital

12. How MHI Works National Office – Dallas
10 staff - Executive Director & 9 others
National Board of Directors
Executive Committee and Regional Directors
All Elected Volunteers
Two-Year Terms
Committees appointed based on needs
MHI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and is manned by a relatively small paid staff.
Mended Hearts is a volunteer driven organization
MHI currently has a staff of 9, with 2 being part-time
The Executive Director has a hosted Mended Hearts office in the Heart House, D.C. (ACC headquarters)
Various committees are managed out of the national office supporting the efforts of the Mended Hearts chapters and volunteers. (Bylaws, Caregivers, Nominating, Convention, Financial, MLH National Steering, Visiting)
We’ll talk more about the role of the RD’s and ARD’s in a moment.

13. Mended Hearts Regions Northeast Region Midwest Region Western RegionAK
Heartland Affiliate
Glenn Horn, EVP WY MT CO CA NV UT NM TX KS NE SD ND IA MO AR IL MN WI IN TN LA MS AL GA SC FL NC VA MI KY WV OH PA DE NJ CT NY MA RI NH ME MD DC HI OK AZ WA ID
MHI National Office
Dallas, Texas
Western Region OR
Rocky Mountain Region
Midwest Region
Southwest Region
Central Region
Northeast Region
Mid-Atlantic Region
Southern Region
Here’s a look at how the Regions are geographically organized.
The geographical areas we serve are divided into eight Regions.
The regions hold periodic workshops to refresh the Member’s education and commitment.
The regional administration assists the chapters with local issues and to coordinate annual reports required to maintain our federal and state non-profit status. PR

14. “It’s great to be alive – and to help others!”
Questions & Answers
“It’s great to be alive – and to help others!”