Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Outcomes Research is defined as applied clinical research that generates knowledge to improve clinical decision-making and health care delivery to optimize patient outcomes.1 Outcomes Research is not defined by a particular methodology, but rather its objective – the study and eventual improvement of the end results of health care. Outcomes Research can employ methodology of non-experimental (observational) designs, as well as quasi-experimental or clinical trial approaches to test interventions, whichever is most suited to the specific research question. Outcomes Research draws from the disciplines of clinical epidemiology, statistics, health services research, psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics and management sciences. The Division of Cardiology at the University of Colorado and its affiliated institutions (Denver Health Medical Center and the Denver VA Medical Center) have a robust and growing national presence in Cardiovascular Outcomes Research. Multiple investigators in the Division have active research programs and participate in national initiatives, including multi-center registries and quality improvement programs. As a result, there is substantial Divisional strength in the assessment and improvement of health care quality, registry development, health status assessment, and observational study methodology. Since 1999, both Edward Havranek, MD, and Frederick Masoudi, MD MSPH, based at Denver Health Medical Center, have served as clinical coordinators of the National Heart Care Project. This initiative, sponsored by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, was designed to improve the care of Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure and acute myocardial infarction. With the data from these nationally representative samples of hospitalized patients with heart failure and acute myocardial infarction, Drs. Masoudi and Havranek have completed several studies of the epidemiology, treatment, and health outcomes of older patients with cardiovascular disease. More recently, Drs. Havranek and Masoudi secured a grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to study differences and disparities in primary prevention in Latinos at risk for cardiovascular diseases. John Rumsfeld, MD PhD, based at the Denver VAMC, is national clinical coordinator for the VA Ischemic Heart Disease Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (IHD-QUERI) and Clinical Director for the VA Cardiac Assessment Reporting and Tracking (CART) system, which includes the development and implementation of the national VA cardiac cath lab database. Dr. Rumsfeld, along with Michael Ho, MD PhD, also in the Section of Cardiology at the Denver VAMC, have a strong interest in the study of the impact of cardiovascular disease on patient symptoms, functional status and quality of life. They have also studied the relationship between depression and cardiovascular disease, and improving secondary prevention. The cardiovascular outcomes investigators in the Division have strong local and national collaborative relationships. Locally, the group is closely allied with the Colorado Health Outcomes Program and Colorado Kaiser Permanente Clinical Research Center. These local relationships have expanded the scope of investigation within the Division. Drs. Havranek, Masoudi, and Rumsfeld are founding members of the multi-center Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Consortium (CORC). This consortium has successfully designed two national registries of patients with cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, Drs. Havranek, Masoudi, and Rumsfeld all serve on the Steering Committee for the American Heart Association Scientific Forum on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research in Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke. Faculty Listing: Edward Havranek, MD Frederick Massoudi, MD John Rumsfield, MD PhD Michael Ho, MD PhD Stacie Luther Daugherty, MD Pamela Peterson, MD Thomas Maddox, MD