BCBSM Cardiovascular Consortium — Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Contact:
Rozanne Darland
CQI Administrator
313-448-5573
rdarland@bcbsm.com
Percutaneous coronary intervention, commonly known as coronary angioplasty or angioplasty, is one therapeutic procedure used to treat the narrowed coronary arteries of the heart found in coronary heart disease. Close to a million angioplasties are performed in the U.S. each year.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium-Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (BMC2-PCI) was the first Collaborative Quality Initiative launched by Blue Cross. The BMC2-PCI was designed to improve care for patients with coronary disease who undergo angioplasty by reducing complications such as kidney damage, the need for blood transfusions and the need for open-heart surgery. Participating hospitals can also learn from one another by sharing best practices based on evidence-based medicine to improve quality and outcomes.
The BMC2-PCI focuses on angioplasty procedures and collects data on approximately 25,000 artery-clearing angioplasties each year. It assesses complication rates such as kidney failure and heart attack as well as the need for emergency open heart surgery. Using the data, the BMC2-PCI developed pocket-size cards and suggested guidelines to help physicians better manage patients at risk of serious complications.
Goals
- Evaluate evidence-based disease management in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions
- Identify opportunities for quality improvement both locally and across the consortium
- Develop risk assessment models and tools
Results
A six-year comparative analysis of six hospitals participating in the BMC2-PCI initiative demonstrated reductions in the following areas:
- 30 percent in hospital deaths
- 38 percent in contrast-induced nephropathy
- 31 percent in blood transfusions after angioplasty
- 19 percent in vascular complications
- 49 percent in emergency revascularization
- 10 percent in unplanned coronary artery bypass surgery
- 28 percent in gastrointestinal bleeding
