Randomised controlled trial

Cluster-Randomized Trial Comparing Ambulatory Decision Support Tools to Improve Heart Failure Care

J Am Coll CardiolPublished

  • Cluster-randomised controlled trial
  • 3-arm
  • pragmatic
  • cluster-randomized by cardiologist (60 per arm)

Authors' conclusion

An automated, patient-specific, electronic health record-embedded alert increased MRA prescribing compared to both a message and usual care.

Study context

Population
Adults with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), no active MRA prescription, no contraindication to mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and an outpatient cardiologist in a large health system
Participants
2,211 adults
Comparison
EHR-embedded alert vs message vs usual care on MRA prescribing
  • Alertn = 755
  • Messagen = 812
  • Usual caren = 644reference
Primary endpoint
New MRA prescribing

Primary result

As reported in the abstract

Relative risk (95% CI)P value
Alert vs Usual care
2.53(1.77–3.62)
P < 0.0001
Alert vs Message
1.67(1.21–2.29)
P = 0.002
NNT with alert for an additional MRA prescription
5.6

Original publication

Cluster-Randomized Trial Comparing Ambulatory Decision Support Tools to Improve Heart Failure Care. J Am Coll Cardiol. Published 5 March 2023. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2023.02.005

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