Strategies to Reduce Low-Value Cardiovascular Care: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Abstract
Low-value health care services that provide little or no benefit to patients are common, potentially harmful, and costly. Nearly half of the patients in the United States will receive at least 1 low-value test or procedure annually, creating risk of avoidable complications from subsequent cascades of care and excess costs to patients and society. Reducing low-value care is of particular importance to cardiovascular health given the high prevalence and costs of cardiovascular disease in the United States. This scientific statement describes the current scope and impact of low-value cardiovascular care; reviews existing literature on patient-, clinician-, health system–, payer-, and policy-level interventions to reduce low-value care; proposes solutions to achieve meaningful and equitable reductions in low-value care; and suggests areas for future research priorities.
The American Heart Association makes every effort to avoid any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of an outside relationship or a personal, professional, or business interest of a member of the writing panel. Specifically, all members of the writing group are required to complete and submit a Disclosure Questionnaire showing all such relationships that might be perceived as real or potential conflicts of interest.
This statement was approved by the American Heart Association Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee on November 1, 2021, and the American Heart Association Executive Committee on December 14, 2021. A copy of the document is available at https://professional.heart.org/statements by using either “Search for Guidelines & Statements” or the “Browse by Topic” area. To purchase additional reprints, call 215-356-2721 or email Meredith.
The American Heart Association requests that this document be cited as follows: Kini V, Breathett K, Groeneveld PW, Ho PM, Nallamothu BK, Peterson PN, Rush P, Wang TY, Zeitler EP, Borden WB; on behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research. Strategies to reduce low-value cardiovascular care: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2022;15:e000105. doi: 10.1161/HCQ.0000000000000105
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