Evidence-based performance and quality improvement in the acute cardiac care setting

This article was originally planned to appear in the October 2007 issue of Critical Care Clinics. The goal of this article is to summarize the indicators, processes, and dimensions of care that are linked to desired clinical outcomes of the most commonly encountered conditions in the acute cardiovascular care setting, and specifically, acute coronary syndromes and congestive heart failure. Additionally, it reinforces the concepts of best cardiovascular care practice and reviews some of the highly successful quality initiatives that have demonstrated a link between hospital process performance and outcomes. Particular attention is focused on the evidence-based treatments and diagnostic evaluation and processes of inpatient cardiovascular care, which lead to desired outcomes meaningful to patients and where available, provide physicians with the strategies and tools to be successful in translating scientific evidence into effective and rewarding care.