The American Heart Association recently launched an effort to improve the quality of patient care. The organization made the announcement at its Scientific Sessions 2004 conference, held Nov. 7–10 in New Orleans. The program focuses on improving patient care quality and establishing relationships between doctors and patients. Other efforts include the expansion of the Get With The Guidelines program, a hospital-based quality improvement program; the AHA’s co-sponsorship of the International Quality Improvement Summit, which this year will focus on acute coronary syndromes; an attempt to raise awareness among women about heart disease; and a decision to play a more active role in the Physician’s Consortium for Performance Improvement, convened by the American Medical Association.

The American Heart Association believes that improving the quality of patient care will help the medical community learn more about the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular illnesses. “The American Heart Association takes that role seriously and understands the importance of the role of those who serve patients—contributing to the quality of patient care,” says Alice K. Jacobs, M.D., AHA president.

For more information, visit www.americanheart.org.

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