Wolters Kluwer report: unified and proactive care that addresses social drivers of health can help reduce cardiovascular disease

Wolters Kluwer Health has released a new report outlining how healthcare leaders can help drive better patient outcomes for cardiovascular health. A whole, strategic approach to wellness spanning the entire care journey is cited as vital. The report, the first in a series on various disease states, is accompanied by a webinar that highlights the importance of empathetic and inclusive patient education that makes the patient part of the care team.

Click here to download the report and view the webinar.

"Despite the progress made in modern medicine, cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the leading cause of death worldwide," said Holly Urban, MD, vice president of strategy for Clinical Effectiveness, Wolters Kluwer Health. "Yet, only about 10-20% of a patient's health is affected by medical care, with the remainder impacted by social drivers of health."

"To help prevent CVD, lower healthcare costs, and improve outcomes, healthcare professionals?from administrators to frontline staff?must adopt a unified, enterprise approach that puts the focus on the patient across the continuum of care," Urban added.

The impact of CVD is also critical for health plans. Payers have focused on CVD with increased measures ? such as controlling high blood pressure ? tied to Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) scores which evaluate the quality of payers, particularly Medicare plans.

The report also addresses:

• The need to identify risks that lead to CVD comorbidities including tobacco use and unhealthy diets that can be linked to hypertension and diabetes. The report highlights that many patients don't receive a timely diagnosis of diabetes, often delayed until after they have a cardiac event.
• The importance of providing updated clinical content at the point of care to help providers keep the focus on the patient and lessen time searching for answers.
• How consistent care and clinical information resources across the healthcare system support a system-wide approach.
• Treating the patient as part of the care team and encouraging shared decision making to help deliver high-quality care.

"Impactful patient education across all patient demographics is critical to healthcare providers battling CVD," added Urban. "Holistic education that meets the patient where they are and provides, engaging, evidence-based content can lead to better outcomes."

The UpToDate^® Point of Care report series provides insights for healthcare leaders on transforming care, unifying teams, and driving better outcomes for patients and healthcare organizations. The support of clinical decisions based on current evidence as a prerequisite for appropriate treatment in terms of quality, patient safety and cost-effectiveness is also discussed. In fact, numerous professional groups in healthcare benefit from the evidence-based knowledge provided by resources such as UpToDate, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other clinicians.

For more information about Wolters Kluwer, please visit: www.wolterskluwer.com.

About Wolters Kluwer

Wolters Kluwer (EURONEXT: WKL) is a global leader in information, software solutions and services for professionals in healthcare; tax and accounting; financial and corporate compliance; legal and regulatory; corporate performance and ESG. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2023 annual revenues of ?5.6 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 21,400 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.

For more information, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.