At a recent meeting of the Cardiovascular Standing Committee of the National Quality Forum (NQF), the public comment docket was filled with an unprecedented outpouring of key stakeholder support for the National Minority Quality Forum’s (NMQF) eMeasure #2764, a heart failure performance measure that seeks to highlight access to standard of care treatment for African American heart failure (HF) patients. As the NMQF’s proposed performance measure continues on its path through a comprehensive, multi-year endorsement process, it has generated an unusually high level of public interest and support as part of a process that is rarely as engaged by the public. In part, this interest owes to a growing demand on the part of stakeholders for more population-based measures, like #2764, that take aim at persistent health disparities, as well as the singular and unambiguous need for better treatment for this particular patient cohort and the clear opportunity to save lives that are today needlessly lost.
Supporting Organizations
Some select quotes from the public comments of supporting organizations and individuals follow:
We commend the National Qualify Forum (NQF) for its examination of how quality measurement can be used to address disparities in cardiovascular disease. The fixed dose measure, while a process measure, can be used as a proxy to achieve the outcome of reducing health disparities in the African American cardiovascular patient population. |  |
 | We commend the National Qualify Forum (NQF) for its examination of how quality measurement can be used to address disparities in cardiovascular disease. The fixed dose measure, while a process measure, can be used as a proxy to achieve the outcome of reducing health disparities in the African American cardiovascular patient population. |
We are encouraged that data from the National Minority Quality Fourm (NMQF) show that current electronic health record (EHR) recording systems could be used in coordination with the new eMeasure without disrupting clinical practices. Ensuring that prescribers will be able to identify patients and provide the treatment to appropriate HF patients will lead to improved care for the targeted population. The NQF has an opportunity to chart a new path towards the promise of precision medicine and better health care in adopting the heart failure eMeasure #2764. |  |
 | When NQF reviews this testing data during its Cardiovascular Standing Committee Meeting on February 2, HLC strongly urges you to support the heart failure performance measure. This measure would fill a significant gap in the provision of quality care and there are no significant obstacles to its implementation. |
Additional Comments
David Kountz, MD, MBA, FACP, Vice President, Academic Affairs, Jersey Shore University Medical Center and Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
“An endorsement from the NQF represents a vital means of ensuring that this life-saving treatment reaches more patients. I urge you to fully support eMeasure #2764 and to recognize the growing importance of developing quality measures aimed at eradicating the health disparities we continue to face as a nation.”
Phillip B. Duncan, MD, FACC, Cardia Health Management Network
“It has been encouraging to see a number of new therapies become available to improve outcomes for my heart failure patients. With each of these clinically proven therapies we have worked tirelessly to apply the appropriate therapy to the appropriate patients. Fixed dose I/H has been found to be effective in the treatment of self-described African American patients with NYHA Class III-IV systolic heart failure. I have used this drug with excellent outcomes in my patient population.”
David N. Smith, MD, Yale University School of Medicine
"It is my firm belief that this proposed HF eMeasure can strengthen the nation’s commitment to providing high quality care to all its citizens. I can no longer justify telling my patients to try a medicine we think may work for you while simultaneously fighting to get them something that we know works on both population and practical metrics."
Elizabeth Ofili, MD, MPH, FACC, Director, Morehouse School of Medicine
“I have been gratified by the work that has been done to improve the care processes for this underserved patient cohort. I invite the American College of Cardiology to collaborate with Morehouse School of Medicine, the National Minority Quality Forum, and the Association of Black Cardiologists in our collective efforts to advance health equality and evidence-based treatment of heart failure in African American patients.”
Modele Ogunniyi, MD, MPH, FACC, FACP, FAHA, Emory University School of Medicine
“As a cardiologist, who manages predominantly African American patients with heart failure, the results of the A-HEFT trial have demonstrated the importance of this quality measure in eligible patients.”
Traci Ferguson, WellCare Health Plans Inc.
“As one of the country's largest health care companies dedicated solely to serving public program beneficiaries, we see the effects that disparities can have on health outcomes. Adoption of his measure will ensure that eligible African American patients with symptomatic heart failure receive the proposed course of treatment. “
Beverly Oliver, MBA, MSN, FNP-BC, CHFN
“An endorsement from the NQF represents a vital means of ensuring that this life-saving treatment reaches more patients. I urge you to fully support eMeasure #2764 and to recognize the growing importance of developing quality measures aimed at eradicating the health disparities we continue to face as a nation.”
“An endorsement from the NQF represents a vital means of ensuring that this life-saving treatment reaches more patients. I urge you to fully support eMeasure #2764 and to recognize the growing importance of developing quality measures aimed at eradicating the health disparities we continue to face as a nation.”
Phillip B. Duncan, MD, FACC, Cardia Health Management Network
“It has been encouraging to see a number of new therapies become available to improve outcomes for my heart failure patients. With each of these clinically proven therapies we have worked tirelessly to apply the appropriate therapy to the appropriate patients. Fixed dose I/H has been found to be effective in the treatment of self-described African American patients with NYHA Class III-IV systolic heart failure. I have used this drug with excellent outcomes in my patient population.”
David N. Smith, MD, Yale University School of Medicine
"It is my firm belief that this proposed HF eMeasure can strengthen the nation’s commitment to providing high quality care to all its citizens. I can no longer justify telling my patients to try a medicine we think may work for you while simultaneously fighting to get them something that we know works on both population and practical metrics."
Elizabeth Ofili, MD, MPH, FACC, Director, Morehouse School of Medicine
“I have been gratified by the work that has been done to improve the care processes for this underserved patient cohort. I invite the American College of Cardiology to collaborate with Morehouse School of Medicine, the National Minority Quality Forum, and the Association of Black Cardiologists in our collective efforts to advance health equality and evidence-based treatment of heart failure in African American patients.”
Modele Ogunniyi, MD, MPH, FACC, FACP, FAHA, Emory University School of Medicine
“As a cardiologist, who manages predominantly African American patients with heart failure, the results of the A-HEFT trial have demonstrated the importance of this quality measure in eligible patients.”
Traci Ferguson, WellCare Health Plans Inc.
“As one of the country's largest health care companies dedicated solely to serving public program beneficiaries, we see the effects that disparities can have on health outcomes. Adoption of his measure will ensure that eligible African American patients with symptomatic heart failure receive the proposed course of treatment. “
Beverly Oliver, MBA, MSN, FNP-BC, CHFN
“An endorsement from the NQF represents a vital means of ensuring that this life-saving treatment reaches more patients. I urge you to fully support eMeasure #2764 and to recognize the growing importance of developing quality measures aimed at eradicating the health disparities we continue to face as a nation.”
