Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a public health epidemic in the U.S., affecting almost 5 million Americans. It is associated with a 5-year mortality rate of 50% (according to the American Heart Association, 1999) and is currently the most costly cardiovascular disease in the U.S. (according to Rich MW et al 1999 and O'Connell JB 2000). In 1999, the total estimated direct and indirect costs associated with the treatment of CHF approached $56 billion (according to O'Connell JB 2000). Advanced CHF accounts for over 1 million hospital admissions annually in the U.S.and for a large portion of the total expense to third-party payers, due to the high cost of acute inpatient care and related Emergency Department visits.