Heart Failure

A new, collaborative, statewide population health-based program to improve quality of care and outcomes for those with heart failure - a condition in which changes to the heart’s structure or function make it harder for the heart to fill with blood or pump blood effectively to the rest of the body.

The BMC2 Heart Failure Quality Improvement Program is planned to begin collecting data and go-live Q1 2027. 

Heart Failure

A new, collaborative, statewide population health-based program to improve quality of care and outcomes for those with heart failure - a condition in which changes to the heart’s structure or function make it harder for the heart to fill with blood or pump blood effectively to the rest of the body.

The Problem

Over 7 million American adults have heart failure, and prevalence is expected to rise to over 10 million by 2040. One in four individuals will develop heart failure in their lifetime, and Michigan has one of the highest rates of heart failure in the nation. In 2023, the standard 90-day cost for Michigan patients with heart failure exceeded $562.5 million, driven by medical costs such as hospitalizations.

An outline of the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan with the text, "$562.5 million. Total standard cost (90 days) for Michigan patients with heart failure in 2023. Michigan has nearly the highest age-adjusted prevalence of heart failure nationwide.

Our Mission

The BMC2 Heart Failure Quality Improvement Program will utilize data, engagement, and patient strategies to create a profound impact:

  • Improve patient outcomes by reducing heart failure hospitalizations and readmission rates 
  • Collaborative learning and expanded partnership, reach, and impact
  • Cost reduction via BMC2’s proven model of collaborative quality improvement
  • Data-driven impact enabling rapid-cycle improvement

Sustainable impact for Michigan patients with heart failure, their medical teams, and the insurance payers who support their care

Assembling BMC2 Heart Failure

Diagram illustrating collaboration among healthcare roles to improve quality of care and outcomes, featuring six dark red circular icons with white symbols representing Advanced Heart Failure & General Cardiologists, Primary Care Physicians, Pharmacists, Nurses, Fellow Collaborative Quality Initiatives, and Patients. Each icon is paired with corresponding text labels, emphasizing multidisciplinary teamwork in patient care.

Jessica Golbus, MD, MS, a Heart Failure and Transplant cardiologist and expert in outcomes research and clinical trials, will lead the overall implementation of the program and oversee its quality improvement efforts as the program’s director.

“BMC2 Heart Failure will leverage the structure and expertise of the BMC2 Collaborative Quality Initiative in a new population health approach,” Dr. Golbus explained. “It will also partner with existing physician organizations within the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Physician Group Incentive Program to improve outcomes through cross-center, multidisciplinary collaboration.”

BMC2 Heart Failure will assemble a stakeholder advisory panel including advanced heart failure and general cardiologists, pharmacists, primary care physicians, nurses, and patients.

Our Current Goals

Infographic illustrating quadruple guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and its estimated impact on reducing health risks. Key data show 73% reduction in relative risk of all-cause mortality, 62% reduction in hazard of cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization, and 68% reduction in hospital admission for heart failure, with icons and downward arrows emphasizing decreases.

During its initial phase, the BMC2 Heart Failure Quality Improvement Program will focus on:

  • Safe and appropriate prescribing of a quadruple guideline-directed medical therapy as best practice for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), a condition in which the left ventricle's pumping function is weakened
  • Identifying and onboarding a small set of BMC2 Heart Failure-participating sites
  • Finalizing a data strategy
  • Developing performance measures
  • Collecting data. 

In subsequent years, the program will expand to include additional participating sites, an expanded set of performance measures, and patients with additional types of heart failure. 

Our Data

Mike Dorsch, PharmD, MS, an expert in clinical informatics and patient decision aids, will lead the data strategy, developing a data pipeline with actionable reporting for specialists and physician organizations alike.

Impact and Strategies

Diagram shows three overlapping circles labeled Data, Engagement, and Patients, illustrating strategies for BMC2 Heart Failure. Data circle includes focuses on data governance by the informatics lead and the data strategy executive committee, automated data collection to reduce administrative burden, and point-of-care decision support. Engagement emphasizes stakeholder-driven priorities, creating educational campaigns and recurring reports, and translating program data into actionable insights and infographics. It will also explain the "why" and "how" of participation, tailored to different levels of expertise and resources. The patients circle states that there will be early prioritization of a patient and caregiver advisory council, consistent education and support, shared decision-making, and ongoing patient involvement in program activities.

Get Involved

Are you interested in participating in the program or learning more? Contact us at bmc2.info@umich.edu.