Log In

ACC Promotes Use of Guidelines

Deborah J. Neveleff

January 15, 2003
Strategy

A program sponsored by the American College of Cardiology is helping cardiologists improve the quality and efficiency of care by giving them practical tools that encourage them to follow guidelines at the point of care.
Called Guidelines Applied in Practice, GAP stemmed from concern that physicians were not implementing the guidelines of the ACC, in Bethesda, Md., and the American Heart Association in Dallas. Low rates of compliance with guidelines in all specialties have commonly been cited in the medical literature. Physician-related barriers to compliance may be due to a lack of knowledge about published guidelines and their specifications, or to busy schedules and time constraints that cause physicians not to follow important care recommendations.
“The ACC and the AHA have developed numerous clinical guidelines based on the scientific evidence underpinning various drugs, tests, and interventions,” says Raymond J. Gibbons, MD. “Following these guidelines could optimize care for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases. But a large gap exists between what medical science has proven to be effective in the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases and the treatment that patients actually receive. This variation in care probably results in suboptimal outcomes for some patients. The goal of the GAP program is to bring actual physician practices closer to optimal care.” Gibbons is a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and chairman of the GAP steering committee.
The quality-of-care benefits associated with guideline implementation could also lead to greater physician efficiency. “By following checklists and using other reminder systems, physicians do not have to rely on their memories in order to apply proven treatment options,” says Gibbons. “Reminder systems allow physicians and nurses to run through the steps of care thoroughly, quickly, and efficiently, without fear of forgetting a crucial drug or test.”
....

This articles can viewed in its entirety by registered users only.

Login (requires cookies)

Forgot Password:
Click here if you cannot remember your password

Register Here:
Click here to register