IMPROVE HF: Registry to Improve the Use of Evidence-Based Heart Failure Therapies in the Outpatient Setting

Medtronic Cardiac Rhythm and Heart Failure34,810 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to characterize current management of patients with either heart failure or prior myocardial infarction and left ventricular dysfunction and to assess the effect of education, specific clinical guidelines, reminder systems, comprehensive disease state management tools, benchmarked quality reports, and academic detailing on the use of evidence-based heart failure therapies in cardiology practices. This study is a quality improvement initiative that is being conducted through review of patient records.

IMPROVE HF, the largest US outpatient HF patient registry, has substantially contributed to our knowledge of how systolic HF and post MI left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) patients are treated in the outpatient setting. The findings of IMPROVE HF clearly support this guideline and may help to establish a model framework for future performance improvement programs for outpatient cardiology practices.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

34,810

Conditions

Heart Failure, Congestive Myocardial Infarction Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * 18 years of age or older * Primary or secondary diagnosis of heart failure or prior myocardial infarction (heart attack) * Moderate-to-severe left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) as demonstrated by an ejection fraction \< or = 35% and/or a qualitative assessment of LVD of moderate-to-severe or severe LVD * Patient has been seen at the clinic at least twice in the past 2 years * Patient received care from the physician participating in the study Exclusion Criteria: * Patient has died * Patient is not expected to survive for 12 months due to medical conditions other than heart failure * Patient has undergone heart transplant surgery

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

To Evaluate Over the Aggregate IMPROVE-HF Practice Sites the Relative Changes in 7 Performance Measures at 24 Months Compared With Baseline and Determine the Number of Performance Measures That Achieved a Relative 20% or Greater Positive Change.

7 performance measures: angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and/or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ACEI/ARB), beta-blokers, aldosterone receptor antagonists, anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation (AF), cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT-P/CRT-D), cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD/CRT-D), heart failure (HF) education. We first calcuated % of patients who were eligible for a performance measure that were treated by it at baseline and 24 months. We then calculated the relative change as (% treated at 24 months - % treated at baseline)/% treated at baseline. The 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated and the relative change of each performance measure was evaluated using a z-test for one-sample proportion. The number of performance measures with \>= 20% relative improvement was determined. The intervention was considered successful if a relative 20% or greater improvement in at least 2 of the 7 performance measures at 24 months compared with baseline was achieved.

Time frame: 24 Month

Secondary Outcomes

Observe the Number of Sites That Demonstrate a Relative 20% or Greater Improvement in 2 or More of the 7 Performance Measures at 24 Months as Compared to Baseline in Cohort A.

The number of practices that achieved greater than or equal to 20% improvement in two or more of the 7 performance measures at 24 months as compared to baseline of cohort A is presented.

Time frame: 24 months

Observe the Change From Baseline to 24 Months in Each Performance Measure and Composite Score for the Aggregate Practices.

performance measure improvement for each performance measure was analyzed at a practice level from baseline to 24 months. Performance measure adherence was calculated at the individual practice level and then combined and summarized. Mean, standard deviation, and 95% confidence intervals for performance measure adherence, composite score and relative change (24 months compared with baseline) are reported. The Composite Score is based on the ratio of the sum of the numerators of all individual performance measures to the sum of the denominators of all individual performances measures. The numerator of a performance measure is the number of patients treated with that measure. The denomiator of a performance measure is the number of patients eligible for being treated with that measure.

Time frame: 24 months

Observe the Relative Change Between Baseline of Cohort A and 6 Months of Cohort B in Performance Measures and Composite Score for the Aggregate Practices.

The relative changes between baseline of cohort A and 6 months of cohort B in performance measures and composite score for the aggregate practices were calculated using mean, standard deviation and 95% CI.

Time frame: Baseline and 6 Months

Observe the Relative Change Between Baseline of Cohort A and 18 Months of Cohort C in Performance Measures and Composite Score for the Aggregate Practices.

The relative changes between baseline of cohort A and 18 months of cohort C in performance measures and composite score for the aggregate practices were calculated using mean, standard deviation and 95% CI.

Time frame: baseline and 18 Months