What's New | March 28, 2012

Spreading Innovations for Cardiovascular Health

The goal of AHRQ's Health Care Innovations Exchange is to speed the implementation of innovative ways to improve and deliver health care. This issue focuses on cardiovascular health and the spread of innovations, from the infrastructure needed to dissemination strategies.

The Featured Innovations describe programs that developed improvements in the management of cardiovascular disease and chronic conditions.

The Featured QualityTools provide resources that consumers can use to assess their cardiovascular health and health care professionals can use to spread innovations.

Featured Innovations:

• Culturally Competent Disease Management Improves Self-Monitoring and Blood Pressure Control in Hypertensive African Americans

• Language Concordant Health Coaches Team with Residents to Help Improve Patients' Self Care Skills, Leading to Better Diabetes Management

• Pharmacists Support Employees and Physicians in Managing Chronic Conditions, Leading to Better Care and Disease Control, Lower Costs, and Higher Productivity

• Weekly Home Monitoring and Pharmacist Feedback Improve Blood Pressure Control in Hypertensive Patients

Featured QualityTools:

• Heart Attack Risk Calculator
Developed by American Heart Association; American Stroke Association

• My Life Check
Developed by American Heart Association; American Stroke Association

• Options for Large-Scale Spread of Simple, High-Impact Interventions: Technical Report
Developed by Institute for Healthcare Improvement; University Research Co., LLC (URC); USAID Health Care Improvement Project

• Quality Improvement Intervention Spread Planner
Developed by Institute for Healthcare Improvement

Featured Articles:

• Moving an Innovative Depression Care Model from Research to Practice: A Conversation With IMPACT Implementation Center Director Jürgen Unützer, MD, MPH, MA

• Spreading Innovations To Enhance Care for Older Adults: An Interview With Amy Berman of the John A. Hartford Foundation

• The Transformation of Health and Health Care Delivery: A Conversation with Barbara Spurrier, Administrative Director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation

View Other Issues

Also in This Issue:

Innovations >

• Financial Incentives and Support for Primary Care Practices Improve Access and Reduce Emergency Department and Hospital Use for Children on Medicaid

• Implementation of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Guidelines With Community-Based Physicians Results in Fewer Hospital Referrals and Improved Outcomes

• Mobile Outreach Program Enhances Access to Culturally Competent Dental, Mental, and Physical Health Care Services for Underserved, Uninsured Immigrants

• Multidisciplinary Program Combining Medical, Counseling, and Behavior Modification Services Helps Overweight Children and Adolescents Lose Weight, Reduce Body Mass Index

• Plan-Funded Team Coordinates Enhanced Primary Care and Support Services to At-Risk Seniors, Reducing Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits