Implementing a Continuous Quality Improvement Program in a High-Volume Clinical Echocardiography Laboratory
Samad Z, Minter S, Armour A, Tinnemore A, Sivak JA, Sedberry B, Strub K, Horan SM, Harrison JK, Kisslo J, Douglas PS, Velazquez EJ. Implementing a Continuous Quality Improvement Program in a High-Volume Clinical Echocardiography Laboratory. Circulation Cardiovascular Imaging 2016, 9: e003708. PMID: 26957220, DOI: 10.1161/circimaging.115.003708.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAortic ValveAortic Valve StenosisCardiac CatheterizationCritical PathwaysEchocardiography, DopplerFeasibility StudiesHemodynamicsHospitals, High-VolumeHumansObserver VariationPatient Care TeamPractice Patterns, Physicians'Predictive Value of TestsProgram EvaluationProspective StudiesQuality ImprovementQuality Indicators, Health CareReproducibility of ResultsSeverity of Illness IndexWorkflowConceptsAortic stenosisCatheterization dataContinuous quality improvementMean gradientAortic valve mean gradientCQI teamClinical echocardiography laboratoryGreater aortic stenosisProportion of patientsReferral of patientsPrimary outcome measureContinuous quality improvement programQuality Improvement ProgramAortic gradientCardiac catheterizationEchocardiographic diagnosisEchocardiography studyPractice patternsInvasive studiesOutcome measuresEchocardiography laboratoryValve hemodynamicsSecond sonographerCatheterizationCQI programAortic valve surgery and survival in patients with moderate or severe aortic stenosis and left ventricular dysfunction
Samad Z, Vora AN, Dunning A, Schulte PJ, Shaw LK, Al-Enezi F, Ersboll M, McGarrah RW, Vavalle JP, Shah SH, Kisslo J, Glower D, Harrison JK, Velazquez EJ. Aortic valve surgery and survival in patients with moderate or severe aortic stenosis and left ventricular dysfunction. European Heart Journal 2016, 37: 2276-2286. PMID: 26787441, PMCID: PMC5841220, DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehv701.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAortic valve surgerySevere aortic stenosisModerate aortic stenosisAortic stenosisValve surgeryMean gradientMultivariable Cox modelVentricular systolic dysfunctionCoronary artery bypassHigh-risk cohortCurrent practice patternsArtery bypassCause mortalityEchocardiographic databaseSystolic dysfunctionVentricular dysfunctionMultivariable adjustmentTranscatheter approachMedical therapyPractice patternsBetter survivalCABGCox modelPatientsLower mortality