This post was authored by Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, FACC, member of the ACC Board of Trustees.

In cardiology we need to measure our achievements by what we have done for patients and populations. It is not enough to brag about new programs provided or treatments delivered. In the end we need to know the results we have achieved.

Such information, however, is not easy to obtain. We do not have the type of integrated national data that would provide a surveillance system. However, the Medicare Fee-for-Service system does have records stretching back more than a decade that can be accessed and analyzed to determine trends in hospitalization rates and outcomes.

Yun Wang, PhD, Sharon-Lise Normand, PhD, FACC and I embarked on a study to provide some perspective on what we have achieved in cardiovascular medicine. We just published the results in Circulation and they are breathtaking. We found that hospitalizations for acute cardiovascular disease and stroke showed rapid decline from 1999 through 2011, compared to other cardiac-related conditions. While the other conditions changed very little, the acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure and stroke admissions declined by about a third and unstable angina by more than 80 percent. Additionally, patients achieved improved mortality and readmission outcomes. In AMI mortality, in particular, the 30-day mortality rate declined by about a third – but heart failure also decreased by almost 20 percent.

And what about readmission? We have had gains there too. There was a 19 percent decline in 30-day readmissions for AMI, 10 percent for heart failure, and 7 percent for stroke.

What is interesting is that this improvement occurred in the absence of new blockbuster drugs or interventions. It occurred in a period where we intensely sought to improve the quality of care and make more with the knowledge we have. It was also a time of intense efforts to promote healthy behaviors. Improvements have included the identification and treatment of hypertension, a significant rise in the use of statins, and declines in smoking. Improvements have also been made in the use of evidence-based medications and the timeliness of treatment for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Additional factors also include the use of registries and other data to track performance and support improvement efforts.

This success should not make us complacent – rather it should encourage us to continue along this path.

For those committed to reducing readmission risk, the ACC is a great partner.

The ACC Quality Improvement for Institutions program is putting proven strategies and tools for improving outcomes in the hands of cardiovascular care providers across the country. Hospital to Home (H2H), one of the initiatives under the program, has a long track record of helping hospitals reduce readmissions and improve transitions of care by sharing best practices and disseminating evidence-based strategies and toolkits. When hospitals address readmissions head on by participating in initiatives such as H2H, I think we will continue to see improvements in readmission outcomes overall.

Get started on the road to reducing readmissions. The complete See You in 7 challenge project is now ready to be implemented. Check out the new Mind Your Meds assessment and toolkit to identify opportunities for improvement and implement strategies for optimal medication management. Additionally, register for the upcoming H2H Signs and Symptoms Tools and Strategies webinar on Sept. 11 at 1 p.m. ET.

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