Harnessing health IT for improved cardiovascular risk management

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk management through drug, dietary, and other interventions can significantly prevent or delay CVD events. Despite evidence for effectiveness, large gaps have been demonstrated between what is known and what is actually done in health care. Information technology (IT) has the potential to support clinicians to close these gaps throughout processes of care delivery. IT can be used to support identification of at-risk individuals, CVD risk assessment and management, care planning, patient self-management, and evaluation of improvements in care and health outcomes. To achieve the potential of IT-based programmes requires a supportive social and political environment, substantial organisational changes, and active patient and clinician engagement. © 2010 Wells et al.