Monday, September 19, 2011

The Million Hearts initiative

This, a promotional piece about a new government initiative, and one of dubious value at that, does not belong in a scientific journal IMHO.


The Million Hearts initiative takes some low hanging fruit concerning cardiovascular hygiene (good diet, smoking avoidance, BP control), turns it into a set of performance measures and throws government money at it. There's not a shred of evidence that this sort of sound-good, feel-good approach will work. Moreover, our experience with these sorts of performance measures over the past decade suggests that in all likelihood it will not work.


Dr. Wes weighs in:


Now I do not hold a Masters in public health or public policy, but I do know a thing or two about evidenced-based medicine and cardiology. So it seems only appropriate that a cardiologist should comment on the proclamations made by an infectious disease specialist and pediatrician who promise to "save a million hearts," especially when we consider the billions of taxpayer dollars that have been or will be allocated to their programs.


Even more from Dr. John M.

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