title: Centers for cardiovascular outcomes research: defining a collaborative vision.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recognizing the value of outcomes research to understand and bridge translational gaps, to establish evidence in clinical practice and delivery of medicine, and to generate new hypotheses on ongoing questions of treatment and care, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health established the Centers for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research program in 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute funded 3 centers and a research coordinating unit. Each center has an independent project focus, including (1) characterizing care transition and predicting clinical events and quality of life for patients discharged after an acute coronary syndrome; (2) identifying center and regional factors associated with better patient outcomes across several cardiovascular conditions and procedures; and (3) examining the impact of healthcare reform in Massachusetts on overall and disparate care and outcomes for several cardiovascular conditions and venous thromboembolism. Cross-program collaborations seek to advance the field methodologically and to develop early-stage investigators committed to careers in outcomes research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Centers for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research program represents a significant investment in cardiovascular outcomes research by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The vision of this program is to leverage scientific rigor and cross-program collaboration to advance the science of healthcare delivery and outcomes beyond what any individual unit could achieve alone.
authors.affiliation: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 31 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA. nakela.cook@nih.gov
authors.forename: Nakela L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Denise E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Bonds
authors.forename: Catarina I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Kiefe
authors.forename: Jeptha P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.forename: Harlan M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Krumholz
authors.forename: Nancy R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Kressin
authors.forename: Eric D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Peterson
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D054555:National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U.S.) / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States