Cholesterol management program improves Veterans’ health

VA Lipid Optimization Reimagined-Quality Improvement (VALOR-QI) program has helped more than 70,000 Veterans at 50 VA locations across the country by helping them lower their cholesterol and improve their cardiovascular health.

In partnership with the American Heart Association (AHA), VALOR-QI is designed to improve the treatment of high cholesterol in Veterans with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) who are often at a high risk of heart attack or stroke. Since March 2023, it has helped Veterans by increasing cholesterol monitoring, providing education on managing cholesterol through medication and lifestyle changes, and improving clinical care through a multi-disciplinary team approach.

More than 600 VA clinical staff are involved in the effort

"Despite existing attempts to control cholesterol, there is still a significant population-level gap between what most ASCVD patients experience and what we believe is possible," said Dr. Carolyn Clancy, assistant under secretary for Discovery, Education, and Affiliated Networks. "VALOR-QI aims not only to improve treatment for ASCVD but also to redouble our efforts to find ways to overcome barriers to health equity for all Veterans."

Preliminary results show a 7% increase in the proportion of Veterans achieving the goal for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, the "bad cholesterol"). This improvement reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular disease-related death.

VALOR-QI not only provides direct support to Veterans but also helps optimize VA's clinical care and address barriers to care faced by some Veterans. The program uses specialized training from AHA and employs a new position called the Healthcare Coach to educate and assist Veterans on managing their high cholesterol and seeking appropriate care.

Continuing the fight on a major problem for Veterans

VALOR-QI sites also undergo rigorous evaluation to assess how well they are managing patients' ASCVD. Program staff are working to address health equity gaps related to sex, race, ethnicity and other factors.

"This partnership between VA and AHA has built the capacity to continue the fight on what remains a major problem for Veterans," said Dr. Rachel Ward, director of VA's Partnership Program.

Cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of death in the United States and is a leading cause of hospitalization among Veterans in the VA health care system.

Cholesterol management, modifying diet and exercise-along with medication-is one of the best ways to lower the risk of heart attack, stroke and death from cardiovascular disease. By giving Veterans and health care providers the tools to better manage high cholesterol, VALOR-QI is making make a real difference in Veterans' lives.

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