Healthcare Leaders Emphasize the Critical Role of Cardiovascular Disease in Ensuring Health Plan Quality and Patient Outcomes

The importance of cardiovascular disease (CVD) for health plans to consider cannot be overstated. Payers have increased their focus on CVD, with measures like controlling high blood pressure tied to Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) scores, which assess the quality of payers, especially Medicare plans.

The UpToDate Point of Care report series offers insights for healthcare leaders on transforming care, unifying teams, and driving better outcomes for patients and healthcare organizations. The report highlights the need to identify risks that can lead to CVD comorbidities, such as tobacco use and unhealthy diets linking to hypertension and diabetes. It also emphasizes the importance of providing updated clinical content at the point of care to help healthcare providers stay focused on the patient and reduce time spent searching for answers.

Treating the patient as part of the care team is encouraged, along with shared decision-making to help deliver high-quality care. Consistent care and clinical information resources across the healthcare system are seen as crucial for a system-wide approach. Impactful patient education across all demographics is also crucial for healthcare providers combating CVD, as it can lead to better outcomes.

Healthcare professionals benefit from evidence-based knowledge provided by resources like UpToDate, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other clinicians. By supporting clinical decisions based on current evidence, healthcare leaders can provide appropriate treatment that is high quality, safe for patients, and cost-effective.