Doctors, patients, and healthcare stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments by November 23 as part of the crucial second round of comments for a proposed new quality measure that seeks to address the underutilization of FDA-approved treatment for African Americans with heart failure. Comments must be submitted now in favor of NQF’s recent report in support of moving ahead with further testing. Currently, thousands of African Americans with heart disease die needlessly every year due to the Nation’s failure to treat them to the acknowledged standard of care. If adopted, the proposed quality measure can help save many lives.
Comments are being sought for the National Quality Forum’s (NQF) consideration of a new quality measure to highlight the importance of adherence to the current standard of care for African Americans with heart failure (HF), which was submitted this summer by the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF). Published studies estimates that there are over 550,000 African Americans living with HF, of whom over 150,000 should be prescribed a drug regimen that has been proven to reduce mortality in blacks by 43% and first-time hospitalizations for HF by 38%; however, few actually receive it.
More information about the quality measure and easy instructions for submitting comments are available at the Heart Failure Quality Improvement Initiative website – or for technical support, contact Andrew Rosenberg (202-247-6301; arosenberg@thornrun.com).
Stakeholders and interested parties have until November 23rd to submit comments to NQF as part of its crucial second round of public input solicitation. It is vitally important that NQF continue to hear from the public regarding the importance of moving ahead with the testing phase of the quality measure submission.
Individuals and organizations that submitted comments during the first comment period in August are strongly encouraged to reiterate their support for the process moving forward.
“It is alarming, but true, that only a very small portion—about 7 percent—of African Americans who are clinical eligible for the therapy are getting it,” according to Dr. Gary Puckrein, CEO of the National Minority Quality Forum, the proposed measure’s steward. “As a consequence, over 6,500 blacks die unnecessarily every year because they are not receiving or adhering to standard of care. Thousands more may be suffering needlessly with untreated symptoms. Approval of this measure by the National Quality Forum is an important step in ensuring African Americans have access to the most clinically effective treatment available for their heart failure.”
The quality measure submission advanced by NMQF would encourage healthcare providers to ensure that eligible African American patients with heart disease receive the proper course of care treatment – namely, fixed-dose hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate. The benefits of this FDA-approved treatment have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine and other peer-reviewed sources. Moreover, this proposal is based on an American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline calling for this specific treatment protocol.
In order to demonstrate public support for consideration of this proposal, members of the general public are encouraged to comment by November 23. Easy instructions for submitting comments can be found at www.minorityhearthealth.org/submit-comments.
More information about the quality measure and easy instructions for submitting comments are available at the Heart Failure Quality Improvement Initiative website – or for technical support, contact Andrew Rosenberg (202-247-6301; arosenberg@thornrun.com).
Stakeholders and interested parties have until November 23rd to submit comments to NQF as part of its crucial second round of public input solicitation. It is vitally important that NQF continue to hear from the public regarding the importance of moving ahead with the testing phase of the quality measure submission.
Individuals and organizations that submitted comments during the first comment period in August are strongly encouraged to reiterate their support for the process moving forward.
“It is alarming, but true, that only a very small portion—about 7 percent—of African Americans who are clinical eligible for the therapy are getting it,” according to Dr. Gary Puckrein, CEO of the National Minority Quality Forum, the proposed measure’s steward. “As a consequence, over 6,500 blacks die unnecessarily every year because they are not receiving or adhering to standard of care. Thousands more may be suffering needlessly with untreated symptoms. Approval of this measure by the National Quality Forum is an important step in ensuring African Americans have access to the most clinically effective treatment available for their heart failure.”
The quality measure submission advanced by NMQF would encourage healthcare providers to ensure that eligible African American patients with heart disease receive the proper course of care treatment – namely, fixed-dose hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate. The benefits of this FDA-approved treatment have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine and other peer-reviewed sources. Moreover, this proposal is based on an American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline calling for this specific treatment protocol.
In order to demonstrate public support for consideration of this proposal, members of the general public are encouraged to comment by November 23. Easy instructions for submitting comments can be found at www.minorityhearthealth.org/submit-comments.
