JACC Advances published our collaborative article unveiling a new ASCVD stage 1-4 model for reducing heart attacks and strokes by optimizing therapy according to atherosclerotic disease burden as measured by coronary artery calcium (CAC) score: https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacadv.2024.101287
Since 2007, The Right Care Initiative’s goal has been to apply scientific evidence and outcomes improvement strategies to reduce patient morbidity and mortality through a collaborative focus on achieving quality goals where performance metrics indicate that evidence-based, life-saving practices are not fully deployed. Data from the Integrated Health Care Association, the National Committee For Quality Assurance, the federal Agency for Health Care Quality and Research, the Commonwealth Foundation, CMS, and the Centers for Disease Control indicate that approximately 80,000 Californians die yearly from heart attacks, strokes and diabetic complications.
The Right Care Initiative, operated by the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, was publicly launched with state officials, NCQA and the Deans of UC Berkeley and UCLA Schools of Public Health in March 2008 at the 1st annual Clinical Quality Improvement Leadership Summit.
The Right Care Initiative’s implementation actions include regular statewide clinical performance improvement summits and cardiovascular disease and diabetes research at UC Berkeley. Since 2011, the Right Care Initiative has founded four regional heart attack, stroke, and diabetes prevention and better management collaboratives, called the University of Best Practices, in San Diego, Sacramento, Los Angeles and the Bay Area. Our initial University of Best Practices pilot now operates independently as Be There San Diego. Our fourth and most recent regional collaborative University of Best Practices started in November 2018 in Santa Clara County to build on the 22% reduction of heart attacks we have seen with our initial pilot community (see Health Affairs article here).
Please read about the 22% reduction in Acute Heart Attack hospitalizations and $86 million in estimated savings associated with our initial pilot project that was funded by the National Institutes of Health: View Press Release and University of Best Practices Pilot Project Brief here and here.
Since its inception, more than a dozen Right Care summits have been held around the state, along with over 300 monthly University of Best Practices. Each Right Care gathering is a collaborative effort, using clinical performance data and best practices, to close the gap between science and practice in order to improve patient outcomes working with medical directors, pharmacy and quality improvement directors, as well as thought leaders in evidence-based medicine.
Thank you to our Right Care Initiative Supporters!
