Quality improvement in heart failure: a randomized educational intervention to change provider behavior.
UNLABELLED
Whether provider education changes practice for HF has not been reported. (NHeFT)™ uses didactic and experiential training of primary care providers (PCP) to optimize treatment of HF. We randomized PCP's in the Cleveland VA clinics to training (T) vs control (C).


ENDPOINTS
Primary - the number of patients with EF < 40% treated with ACEI/ARB and Beta Blocker, +/- diuretic post T vs pre T; Secondary - the number of patients with increase in ACEI/ARB or a decrease in diuretic post T vs. pre T. Of 641 patients, 216 (85 C,131 T) had EF < 40%; 188 (85%) did not meet the primary endpoint at baseline. After T, a similar proportion (64.2% C, 74.4%,T) met the endpoint at end of study (P = 0.14). The odds of a patient meeting the primary endpoint by care of a T provider, was not significantly higher than C (OR 1.496, 95% CI (0.751, 2.982)). Patients seen by T were more likely to have the diuretic dose decreased vs patients under C, without increases in ACEI or ARB (P < 0.03). Thus, a didactic program of HF plus a preceptorship changed practice modestly. Studies should address provider readiness of change and self efficacy to adhere to evidenced-based care.