Modifiable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors such as hypertension, cholesterol and smoking contribute strongly to CVD morbidity, mortality, and health care cost. Ohio is in the highest quartile for CVD morbidity and mortality and has significant disparities in CVD risk factors by geographic region, race/ethnicity, and insurance type demonstrating substantial opportunity for improvement. We propose using a unique facilitated co-design approach to develop a heart healthy QI intervention based on patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) in the context of an expanded statewide Ohio cardiovascular health collaborative (Cardi-OH) to accelerate statewide CVD improvement and reductions in disparities. This proposal builds on pockets of regional QI strengths to develop a larger, more extensive and sustainable external QI support infrastructure by linking the 3 Regional Health Improvement Collaboratives and 7 medical schools with greater reach and extension within primary care and linked to our statewide collaborative, the Ohio Cardiovascular Health Collaborative. This 3-year project has 3 aims.
For Aim 1, we propose to expand a nascent statewide cardiovascular health collaborative and establish a sustainable external QI support infrastructure.
For Aim 2 we will co-design, implement and evaluate the effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of the heart healthy QI intervention overall and by subgroup (e.g., geography, insurance, race/ethnicity) using a group randomized stepped wedge design. And for Aim 3, we will determine patient, provider, clinic, and other contextual factors associated with greater improvements in cardiovascular care and outcomes at the heart healthy QIP clinics We will conduct a robust mixed methods evaluation of: 1) Cardi-OH?s evolution, network development, dissemination, and sustainability; 2) the co-design, adoption, implementation, maintenance and effectiveness of the heart healthy QIP overall and by subgroup ; and 3) the factors associated with better clinical performance on CVD risk factor process improvement. Project findings will be useful to policymakers, health insurers, practice managers, health care providers, and patients. This project could provide a transformative and sustainable statewide model for cardiovascular health improvement and disparity reduction which, through our mixed methods evaluation, can be shared broadly for replication.
Ohio has one of the highest rates of morbidity and mortality for people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and for people who smoke. We will expand a statewide Ohio cardiovascular health collaborative to improve cardiovascular health and reduce cardiovascular disparities for all Ohioans. To do this, we will work with primary care teams, patients and families and other partners to develop a heart healthy intervention that clinics in Ohio can use to improve care and reduce disparities for patients with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and who smoke.
