How private equity ownership of cardiology groups may affect heart care quality
Official title: Effect of Private Equity Employment of Cardiologists on Health Outcomes and Care Quality
Funded at George Washington University · NIH-11429743 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This funding supports a study to see whether private equity ownership of cardiology practices changes how well patients with heart problems are treated and how they do after care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | George Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Washington, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $800,001 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL188733-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11429743 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with acute myocardial infarction or heart failure who receive cardiology care within PE-owned and non-PE-owned systems.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not treated in cardiology settings or those whose care is not influenced by ownership structures may see no direct benefit.
What this research studies
If PE firms own cardiology practices, the study will look at real-world patient data to understand if care quality and outcomes change when ownership shifts. The project will compare care patterns, test use, and clinical results for patients with acute heart attacks and heart failure under different ownership models. Researchers will analyze large health records and clinical data to identify links between ownership, resource use, and patient outcomes while accounting for other factors. The goal is to clarify whether PE-driven changes help patients and where risks might arise.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: It could reveal how ownership structures affect heart care, guiding patients and policymakers toward safer, higher-quality care.
How similar studies have gone: There is limited prior direct evidence on PE ownership and cardiovascular care outcomes, making this investigation relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
George Washington University
Washington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Luo, Qian — George Washington University
- Study coordinator: Luo, Qian
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.