Health Resource Variability in the Achievement of Optimal Performance and Clinical Outcome in Ischemic Heart Disease

A disparity between evidence and practice in the management of ischemic heart disease is frequently observed. Guideline adherence and clinical outcomes are influenced by system, provider, and patient factors. Recently, performance improvement measures for cardiovascular disease have gained a lot of popularity worldwide. These measures may facilitate the uptake of evidence-based recommendations and improve patient outcomes. While apparently valid as quality metrics, their impacts on clinical outcomes remain limited and are areas of further research. Several methods for optimizing performance have been instituted and essentially involve three different approaches—improvement in the reporting of data on guideline adherence, providing infrastructure and tools, and providing incentives to improve guideline adherence. Public reporting of quality metrics and “pay-for-performance” are some novel performance improvement tools. The impact of these approaches on patient outcomes will be pivotal in improving cardiovascular outcomes in the future.