Why Comment?
Doctors, patients, and healthcare stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments by January 13, 2017 in support of a new proposed quality measure submission from the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) that seeks to address the gross underutilization of FDA-approved treatment for African Americans with heart failure. 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 countless lives.
In order to demonstrate public support for consideration of this proposal, members of the general public are encouraged to comment by January 13 via the NQF’s webpage.
In order to demonstrate public support for consideration of this proposal, members of the general public are encouraged to comment by January 13 via the NQF’s webpage.
How to Comment
Stakeholder are encouraged to submit pre-meeting comments ahead of the NQF’s Cardiovascular Standing Committee, which are due on January 18. The Standing Committee is set to review the testing results of our approved eMeasure on Feb. 2, 2017. Testing, which NMQF has already submitted to NQF, found that the measure could fill a significant gap in the provision of quality care and that there are no significant obstacles to implementation. We need our champions to tell the NQF that Measure 16-74 merits their continued support. Send Comment to NQF Cardiovascular Committee Supporting eMeasure #2764.
Draft Comment Letter
I am writing to express my support for the the National Minority Quality Forum’s Heart Failure Performance Measure, Fixed-dose Combination of Hydralazine and Isosorbide Dinitrate Therapy for Self-identified Black or African American Patients with Heart Failure and LVEF <40% on ACEI or ARB and Beta-blocker Therapy.
The benefits of the fixed-dose for African American patients with heart failure have been well documented. In fact, the treatment is so effective that one study was terminated early because the control group experienced mortality rate so much worse than the experimental group that it was unfair to keep the study going. That study concluded the fixed-does combination therapy is “efficacious and increases survival among black patients with advanced heart failure.”
Furthermore, guidelines released by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recommend this treatment protocol. The draft report correctly highlights that the only data used to create these recommendations were from studies that used a fixed-dose combination, and I am pleased that the Committee appropriately limited the measure to capture this specific treatment.
But despite the treatment’s demonstrated efficacy, and guidelines recommending its use, alarmingly few African American patients are being prescribed this FDA-approved treatment. For example, as I recently read, only 7 percent percent of eligible patients received the treatment, leading to an estimated 6,655 avoidable deaths each year.
As this Committee is well aware, an endorsement from the NQF is considered the highest standard for healthcare quality. I strongly believe that the proposed heart failure eMeasure can strengthen NQF's commitment to high quality care by paving the way for future uptake of this life-saving treatment.
The benefits of the fixed-dose for African American patients with heart failure have been well documented. In fact, the treatment is so effective that one study was terminated early because the control group experienced mortality rate so much worse than the experimental group that it was unfair to keep the study going. That study concluded the fixed-does combination therapy is “efficacious and increases survival among black patients with advanced heart failure.”
Furthermore, guidelines released by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recommend this treatment protocol. The draft report correctly highlights that the only data used to create these recommendations were from studies that used a fixed-dose combination, and I am pleased that the Committee appropriately limited the measure to capture this specific treatment.
But despite the treatment’s demonstrated efficacy, and guidelines recommending its use, alarmingly few African American patients are being prescribed this FDA-approved treatment. For example, as I recently read, only 7 percent percent of eligible patients received the treatment, leading to an estimated 6,655 avoidable deaths each year.
As this Committee is well aware, an endorsement from the NQF is considered the highest standard for healthcare quality. I strongly believe that the proposed heart failure eMeasure can strengthen NQF's commitment to high quality care by paving the way for future uptake of this life-saving treatment.
