The Email Nudges to Improve GDMT (MRA) Adherence in Heart Failure (ENIGMA-HF) study is a pragmatic parallel-arm randomized control trial of a quality improvement (QI) intervention involving email nudges to cardiology clinic managers to schedule appointments specific to guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT) initiation, with the goal of optimizing mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonist (MRA) use by patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) cared for by cardiologists within the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Health System.
Importance: Guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT) is a specific set of 4 medications proven to improve morbidity and mortality for patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), yet they are underutilized nationally and internationally. Various quality improvement (QI) interventions have had varying degrees of success at increasing GDMT prescription and titration. Objective: The purpose of the study is to assess whether email nudges to UCLA Health cardiology clinic managers to schedule GDMT-specific appointments can lead to increased utilization of a specific medication within GDMT called a mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonist (MRA). Pertinent secondary objectives will include evaluating whether email nudges specific to MRA would increase utilization of the other medications in GDMT and whether they would increase appointments specific to GDMT. Design, Setting, and Participants: The basic design is a pragmatic parallel-arm randomized control trial of a QI intervention. The setting is cardiology outpatient clinics at a large university-based single integrated healthcare system (UCLA Health). Participants are outpatients with HFrEF under the care of a UCLA cardiologist, with an ejection fraction on file, and currently not prescribed an MRA. Hypothesis: The investigators hypothesize that the intervention will lead to an increased utilization of MRA, compared to the control arm.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
SINGLE
An email to UCLA Health Cardiology clinic managers with a list of MRA-eligible HFrEF patients and a request to schedule or change cardiology appointments.
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, United States
Percentage of eligible patients prescribed MRA
Proportion of patients that receive an active prescription for mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) compared between arms at the end of the study.
Time frame: 60 days
Percentage of eligible patients prescribed ACE/ARB/ARNI, beta blocker, or SGLT2i
Proportion of patients that receive an active prescription for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE), angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), beta blocker, or sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) compared between arms at the end of the study.
Time frame: 60 days
Percentage of eligible patients prescribed ACE/ARB/ARNI
Proportion of patients that receive an active prescription for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE), angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), or angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) compared between arms at the end of the study.
Time frame: 60 days
Percentage of eligible patients prescribed ARNI
Proportion of patients that receive an active prescription for angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) compared between arms at the end of the study.
Time frame: 60 days
Percentage of eligible patients prescribed beta blocker
Proportion of patients that receive an active prescription for beta-blocker compared between arms at the end of the study.
Time frame: 60 days
Percentage of eligible patients prescribed SGLT2i
Proportion of patients that receive an active prescription for sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) compared between arms at the end of the study.
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Time frame: 60 days