We supported practices across Bradford Districts CCG to maximise its heart failure (HF) QOF points. This was part of a larger project to ensure all patients were receiving optimal treatment.
We were faced with the challenge of both HF and left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) being mis-coded or not coded at all, meaning many patients were not being recalled for annual reviews and/or optimally treated.
Some of the original diagnosis codes for LVSD were removed during annual QOF changes, leaving many patients unidentified by practice QOF software as having LVSD and therefore not being highlighted as requiring further intervention.
Outcomes:
- LVSD group prevalence across the CCG increased from 0.27% to 0.41% – equating to 172 patients identified and added to practice heart failure registers.
- Ratio of LVSD : HF increased from 35% to 41%
- 13 of the 14 practices showed an increase in HF prevalence and QOF point value.
- Increase in QOF domain income of £11,388 recorded across all 14 practices post-validation – approx. £800 per practice.
Most importantly, increasing the accuracy of registers led to optimal treatment for all patients, ensuring no-one missed routine recalls and the ongoing management of symptoms and heart rate control.
Click this link to read the article in PCCJ