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Although process-of-care performance measures are typically derived from the strongest, evidence-based practice guidelines, the relation between performance measures and health outcomes has only recently become a focus of research. We have substantial data on the relation between the quality of acute-MI care and post-MI mortality (Journal Watch Cardiology Aug 9 2006), but not much on the quality of heart failure (HF) care and HF outcomes.
Now, researchers have assessed the relation between the quality of inpatient HF care and short-term (60- to 90-day) mortality among 5791 patients (mean age, 72; 51% men; 78% white) hospitalized with a principal admission or discharge diagnosis of HF at a subset of the centers participating in the industry-s…