University physicians receive national recognition for quality cardiovascular, stroke care

University physicians receive national recognition for quality cardiovascular, stroke care

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association recently recognized the following University of Missouri Health Care physicians for providing quality care to their stroke patients and patients with cardiovascular disease.

David Cravens, M.D., associate professor of family and community medicine
Anne Fitzsimmons, M.D., assistant professor of family and community medicine
Kristin Hahn-Cover, M.D., associate medical director of University of Missouri Health Care’s Office of Clinical Effectiveness and assistant professor of clinical medicine
Michael LeFevre, M.D., professor and interim associate chair of family and community medicine and chief medical information officer of University of Missouri Health Care
Joseph LeMaster, M.D., assistant professor of family and community medicine
David Mehr, M.D., professor of family and community medicine
Shamita Misra, M.D., assistant professor of family and community medicine
Erika Ringdahl, M.D., professor of family and community medicine
Jacqueline Ruplinger, M.D., assistant professor of family and community medicine
Daniel Vinson, M.D., professor of family and community medicine
Dennis Wen, M.D., associate professor of family and community medicine
Harold Williamson, M.D., interim vice chancellor for health sciences at the University of Missouri
Steven Zweig, M.D., Paul Revare Family Professor, interim chair of family and community medicine and director of MU’s Interdisciplinary Center on Aging.

The Heart/Stroke Recognition Program was designed to improve the quality of care that stroke patients or patients with cardiovascular disease by recognizing physicians who deliver quality care and motivating all physicians to document and improve their delivery of cardiovascular and stroke care. To receive recognition, which is valid for three years, these physicians submitted data that demonstrates performance that meets the program’s key cardiovascular and stroke care measures. These measures include blood pressure and cholesterol control, among others. When people with cardiovascular disease or who have had a stroke receive quality care as outlined by these measures, they are less likely to suffer additional complications, such as a second heart attack or stroke.

More than 60 million Americans have one or more types of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, responsible for approximately 950,000 deaths each year. Approximately 700,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year. Stroke is the third-leading cause of death and a leading cause of severe, long-term disability.

The NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations, recognizes physicians and physician groups in key clinical areas. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care.

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