Valvular & structural heart diseaseRandomised controlled trial

Automated Alerts to Improve Timely Evaluation and Treatment of Valvular Heart Disease

J Am Coll CardiolPublished

  • Cluster randomised controlled trial
  • multisystem
  • cluster-randomized
  • 5 US health systems, 35 hospitals

Authors' conclusion

In this multisystem cluster randomized trial, automated ECN alerts improved timely guideline-directed evaluation and valve intervention for clinically significant AS and MR.

Study context

Population
Clinicians ordering echocardiograms with significant aortic stenosis (AS) or mitral regurgitation (MR), 5 US health systems, August 2024–September 2025
Participants
765 clinicians · 2,016 echocardiograms
Comparison
Automated electronic clinician notification (ECN) alert vs no alert
Primary endpoint
Hierarchical composite:
  • Time to surgical or transcatheter valve intervention
  • Then time to multidisciplinary heart team clinic evaluation (stratified win ratio)
Follow-up
90 days

Primary result

As reported in the abstract

Win ratio

1.27

95% CI 1.05–1.54

P = 0.007

ECN alert vs Usual care
win ratio 1.27 (95% CI 1.05–1.54); P = 0.007

Secondary outcomes

Valve intervention (surgical or transcatheter) · 90 days

P = 0.005

Multidisciplinary heart team evaluation · 90 days

P = 0.005

Primary endpoint by valve pathology (subgroup)

Win ratio in AS
1.29
Win ratio in MR
1.23
No heterogeneity by valve pathology
Pint = 0.821
  • interaction P = 0.821

Primary endpoint across prespecified subgroups (age, sex, race, social deprivation index, inpatient vs outpatient, provider specialty, rurality)

No evidence of heterogeneity
Pint > 0.100 for all

Sensitivity analyses (modified ITT, ITT, per-protocol)

Consistent results across populations

Original publication

Automated Alerts to Improve Timely Evaluation and Treatment of Valvular Heart Disease. J Am Coll Cardiol. Published 29 March 2026. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2026.03.037

Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it