The Journal of cardiovascular nursing
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The National Benchmarks and Evidence-Based National Clinical Guidelines for Heart Failure Management Programs Study is a national, multicenter study designed to determine the nature, range, and effect of interventions applied by chronic heart failure management programs (CHF-MPs) throughout Australia on patient outcomes. Its primary objective is to use these data to develop national benchmarks and evidence-based clinical guidelines and optimize their cost-effective application by reducing quality and outcome variability. ⋯ Variability in patient outcomes is a product of heterogeneity among CHF-MPs. The development of national benchmarks will minimize such heterogeneity and will provide a greater level of evidence for their cost-effective application.