MONDAY, June 13, 2011 (HealthDay News) -- Patient-focused outcomes are emphasized in 10 updated performance measures for people with coronary artery disease and hypertension that were released Monday by a trio of major U.S. medical groups.
"These measures are primarily intended for the use of individual practitioners and group practices in their efforts to improve the care of patients with hypertension and those with stable coronary disease," Dr. Joseph Drozda Jr., director of outcomes research at Sisters of Mercy Health System in St. Louis, Mo., and co-chairman of the writing committee for the new measures, said in an American College of Cardiology news release.
"By adhering to the specifications called for in this measures set, entities operating such accountability programs can be assured of having high quality and clinically meaningful measures," he added.
The measures were released by the American College of Cardiology Foundation, the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association-convened Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement.
The coronary artery disease measures include:
In the area of hypertension, the new measures include:
"This report represents an update and revision of guidelines last published in 2005" and "clearly outlines what is appropriate care for patients with coronary artery disease and/or hypertension," said Dr. Louis Evan Teichholz, chief of cardiology and medical director of cardiac services at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. "A significant change is the addition of cardiac rehabilitation referral from an outpatient setting."
Although the blood pressure and lipid guidelines have not changed much, he said, both are "in the midst of revision and new recommendations will be available late in 2011 or early 2012."
More information
The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about coronary heart disease.