New Program Highlights Nation's Best Doctors for Heart, Stroke Care

8/5/2003

From: Brian Schilling or Barry Scholl, 202-955-5104 or 202-955-5197, both of the National Committee for Quality Assurance; or Patricia Beatty-Gonzalez, 214-706-1285, for American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, email: patricia.beattyg@heart.org

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 -- Physicians and physician groups who provide excellent care to patients with heart disease or a stroke will gain new recognition under an innovative, first-of-its-kind program launched today by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA).

As part of the Heart/Stroke Recognition Program (HSRP), consumers, physicians, health plans and others will be able to locate superior care providers for care and referrals. HSRP-Recognized physicians will be highlighted in major online provider directories, and NCQA will refer interested callers to recognized physicians. To earn recognition, a physician must show that he or she consistently provides important screenings and works effectively with patients to control such key indicators as blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

"Quality patient care translates into lives saved," said Sidney Smith, professor of medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a past president and past chief science officer of the American Heart Association. "This is why for the first time the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association is supporting a recognition program for physicians providing quality care. This program closes the gap by putting into practice American Heart Association/American Stroke Association guidelines and statements to fight heart disease and stroke."

"For people living with chronic illness, the right health care can be the difference between an active life and disability or death," said NCQA President Margaret E. O'Kane. "This program steers people to doctors who can help them manage their conditions and keep their blood pressure and cholesterol in check."

More than 60 million Americans have one or more types of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, responsible for approximately 950,000 deaths each year. Approximately 700,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year; stroke is the third-leading cause of death and a leading cause of severe, long-term disability. Despite evidence that reducing cholesterol levels and controlling high blood pressure prevent further health complications, many cardiac and stroke patients are not treated effectively for these symptoms.

The new program is expected to encourage improvement in the quality of cardiovascular and stroke care. The HSRP is modeled after the American Diabetes Association/NCQA Diabetes Physician Recognition Program (DPRP), which since 1997 has recognized more than 1,800 physicians for delivering excellent care to people with diabetes. Among DPRP-Recognized physicians, the rate of patients with properly controlled cholesterol levels doubled in five years, from 37 percent in 1997 (the programs first year) to 74 percent in 2002. Similar improvements in the areas measured by the HSRP could save thousands of lives annually.

"When you earn recognition, you're confirming to your patients and to yourself that you're giving good care," said Joel Edwards, M.D., of Mocksville, N.C., who has achieved both Heart/Stroke and Diabetes Recognition. "It also lets you take stock of your practice and focus on the areas where you can do even better, and pass the benefits on to the patients who need them."

Roy C. Blank, M.D., of Monroe, N.C., who also holds dual recognition, expressed similar sentiments. "Achieving this recognition is especially gratifying since it speaks to our focus on preventative health measures," said Blank. "The process has helped us to design comprehensive care programs for people who've either had a stroke or heart attack or are at high risk of a cardiovascular event."

To earn HSRP Recognition, physicians and physician groups will submit data related to areas of care identified by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and the American College of Cardiology as important for heart or stroke patients. These areas are:

-- Blood pressure control (defined as a blood pressure level below 140/90 mm Hg)

-- Cholesterol screening (complete lipid profile)

-- Cholesterol control (defined as a low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad" cholesterol) level below 100 mg/dL)

-- Use of aspirin or another antithrombotic to prevent blood clots

-- Smoking status and cessation advice or treatment.

Physicians will participate in the HSRP using the Interactive Survey System, a sophisticated online survey platform created by NCQA. The system will allow physicians and physician groups to use a Web-based survey tool to assess their performance prior to applying for recognition. The survey tool provides physicians with a detailed report on their performance, allowing them to identify opportunities for improvement and assess their readiness to seek recognition, before submitting their application online.

Physicians and groups who meet or exceed the program thresholds will receive a certificate of recognition and be featured on a dedicated section of the NCQA Web site. The listing of recognized physicians will be fully searchable, allowing cardiovascular and stroke patients and their families to locate an HSRP-Recognized physician.

Recognized physicians will also be featured in major online provider directories. Aetna Inc. already highlights physicians who have earned DPRP Recognition by placing a small icon alongside their directory entries. CIGNA HealthCare Inc. and UnitedHealthcare also intend to highlight recognized physicians in their online directories; other organizations have expressed interest as well.

To date, 26 physicians and physician groups (visit http://www.ncqa.org for the complete list) have achieved HSRP Recognition based on their performance during pilot testing, with others to be announced shortly pending verification of their data. In addition, Cherry Hill, N.J.-based Associated Cardiovascular Consultants and the Joslin Diabetes Center of Boston have committed to early participation in the HSRP.

For more information about the HSRP, or to apply for recognition, visit the HSRP Web page, http://www.ncqa.org/hsrp.

Funding for the development of the HSRP was provided in part by unrestricted educational grants from AstraZeneca, Pfizer Inc and the American Heart Association Pharmaceutical Roundtable. The Pharmaceutical Roundtable promotes the mission of the American Heart Association and member pharmaceutical companies to reduce death and disability from cardiovascular disease and stroke through research, patient care and educational programs of mutual interest.

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations, recognizes physicians and physician groups in key clinical areas and manages the evolution of HEDIS(r), the tool the nation's health plans use to measure and report on their performance. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information through the Web, media and data licensing agreements in order to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices.

The American Heart Association spent almost $389 million during fiscal year 2001-2002 on research support, public and professional education, and community programs. The organization has more than 22.5 million volunteers and supporters carrying out its mission in communities across the country. The association is the largest voluntary health organization fighting heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, which annually kill about 950,000 Americans.

The goal of the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, is to raise awareness of stroke and reduce disability and death from stroke. In its 2001-2002 fiscal year, the American Stroke Association spent almost $86 million on stroke-related research and education programs.