[Heart failure networks and centers : What does everyday life look like?]

The German Cardiac Society (DGK) and the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (DGTHG) jointly advocated the initiation and certification of heart failure (HF) networks in a position statement in 2016. In these networks, supraregional HF centers cooperate with specialized regional HF clinics and registered cardiologists to improve intersectoral treatment of patients with HF. So far predominantly supraregional HF centers have achieved certification but more recently regional clinics as well as registered cardiologists have applied for certification, now enabling the comprehensive establishment of HF networks. In this article the background, the current situation and the future perspectives of HF networks are assessed and approaches for better networking are discussed.