The mission of our CHF QUERI (Chronic Heart Failure Quality Enhancement Research Initiative) center is to improve survival and quality of life for all VA patients with heart failure and those at risk for heart failure through collaboration with other VA organizations to implement best practices.

We believe the best way to achieve this mission is through improved recognition of heart failure and increased use of care known to prolong survival. Thus, we will focus our activities on identification and treatment of patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction since these are the patients for which life prolonging therapies are indicated. The medical treatment of heart failure and preserved systolic function (diastolic dysfunction) will not be a focus of our QUERI due to the lack of relevant clinical practice guidelines.