• Effectiveness of a Vascular Intervention Program on the ACTION Score versus usual care (control) for patients at moderate/high risk for cardiovascular events [ Time Frame: 6 months and 12 months ]
  
• High Risk Arm: 1. A minimum 5-point improvement in the ACTION Score. 2. Appropriate use of medications. 3. A composite of achieving #1 in ACTION Vascular Health risk score and the appropriate use of medications. [ Time Frame: 6 months and 12 months ]
  
• Moderate risk arm: 1. A minimum of 25% improvement over the baseline FRS value. 2. A minimum 5-point improvement in ACTION Score from baseline. 3. Composite of both #1 and #2. [ Time Frame: 6 months and 12 months ]
  

• Secondary Outcomes:cardiovascular-specific and general quality of life and satisfaction measures, continuity of care from a system and patient perspective, clinical events, cost-effectiveness & health service utilization. [ Time Frame: 6 months and 12 months ]
  

This Northern Ontario, community-based demonstration project is a multi-disciplinary, primary care provider-based collaboration. The goals of the project are to:

1. Decrease the modifiable risk factors for primary care patients at risk for vascular disease in the Algoma District;
2. Increase collaboration between health care providers such as family physicians, pharmacists, physiotherapists, dietitians and nurses in the community;
3. Increase the participation of the patient and family in decision-making, self-care, and adherence to agreed-upon management plans;
4. Improve patient access to care, clinical outcomes and satisfaction;
5. Provide a business case for a practical, sustainable and generalizable model for the primary care of vascular disease in the community.

The Group Health Centre, a multi-disciplinary, not-for-profit community-based health organization with 56,000 rostered patients, leads the project.

However, all Sault Ste Marie community patients are eligible to join the Vascular Intervention Program (VIP). This program has three key components: a registry of VIP patients with audit, recall and feedback; use of the novel ACTION score template, and the optional use of VIPNet, a personalized patient record tool that provides secure web access to optimize quality and continuity of care. The VIP project aims to empower patients and increase collaboration among the primary health care team. Patients with any vascular risk factors will be eligible for VIP.

The VIP project is a demonstration project that does not duplicate existing GHC chronic disease management programs because (1) the VIP is offered to all eligible community patients, not only GHC enrollees; (2) VIP integrates any patients with vascular risk, not just those with pre-defined conditions; (3) novel collaborative tools such as the ACTION template and VIPNet website are being piloted; and (4) explicit patient-centred decision making drives the process. The development and evaluation of the VIP demonstration project is a unique step in the evolution of primary care chronic disease management in Sault Ste Marie, and the rest of the province.