Geisinger Clinic
Diagnosis rates of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) are low in the United States, despite multiple guidelines and recommendations for screening and treatment of high cholesterol, to prevent heart attacks in those affected. Using a stepped-wedge design, the investigators plan to utilize tools from implementation science to improve uptake, acceptability, and sustainability of FH diagnostic programs in primary care settings. If successful, this study will provide tools generalizable to other health care systems to improve FH diagnosis rates.
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common genetic disorder (prevalence 1 in 250) that requires lifelong sustained medical care. Evidence-based guidelines for screening and treatment for FH exist. These include universal screening of children ages 9-11, of adolescents ages 18-20, and of adults ages 40 and above; approved diagnostic tools including lipid panels and genetic testing; and recommendations for initiation of lipid lowering medication. FH diagnosis is currently made too late in life, often after a premature heart attack has occurred creating a care gap that results in excess cardi…
Inclusion Criteria: * Primary care clinicians (pediatrician, community medicine, internal medicine) in the Geisinger Healthcare System Exclusion Criteria: * None
Uptake of screening, diagnosis, and initiation of care management for FH
EHR tools to order labs, record results, and document FH care
Education regarding guidelines for identification and treatment of FH
Continuing medical education (CME) material for FH that is presented to
Notify patients simultaneously with clinicians about the need for screening
Clinical lipid champions
Provide aggregate level feedback to clinics on diagnosing FH
Develop the timeline for the stepped-wedge rollout to primary care
Arctuva estimate
Actual pay is set by the research site.
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