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HHS recognizes public, private practices as Hypertension Control Champions
The US Department of Health and Human Services’ Million Hearts initiative recognizes 30 U.S. public and private health care practices and systems as Hypertension Control Champions for their success in helping patients control their BP, according to a CDC press release.
“This year we have more Champions than ever before, demonstrating that high performance is achievable and that we are on a path to better heart health across the nation,” HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell, said in the release. “More and more practices are using evidence-based strategies to help patients keep blood pressure down — a strong sign that we are making progress preventing heart attacks and strokes.”
Sylvia M. Burwell
The 2014 Hypertension Control Champions range from solo practitioners to large systems and represent both urban and rural areas. Together, these Champions care for more than 3.5 million adults in 19 U.S. states, according to the release.
The Champions were required to share their adult patients’ high BP control data as well as successful BP strategies adopted by the practice or health care system. All of the Champions achieved BP control rates ranging from 70% to more than 90%.
Examples of the innovative approaches adopted include designating hypertension champions within the practice; utilization of team-based care models to increase contact with patients; consistent and strategic electronic health record use, including clinical decision support tools, patient reminders and registry functionality; and engaging patients by offering free BP checks, medication checks by pharmacists and nurse visits in the home.
Tom Frieden
“Million Hearts launched this challenge in 2012 to recognize clinicians and health care teams across the country for helping their patients protect heart health,” CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, said in the release. “We implore our health systems to follow the lead of these physicians and clinics which are succeeding in saving lives and preventing disability from avoidable heart disease and stroke.”
The 2014 Million Hearts Hypertension Control Champions are:
- Arsalan Shirwany, MD, FACC, Stern Cardiovascular Foundation; Germantown, Tenn.
- The Baton Rouge Clinic, AMC; Baton Rouge, La.
- Brett Gray, MD, Cherokee Nation Health Services; Salina, Okla.
- Colorado Springs Health Partners; Colorado Springs, Colo.
- Daniel Otten, MD, FACC, Stern Cardiovascular Foundation; Germantown, Tenn.
- Denver Health Community Health Services; Denver
- East Jordan Family Health Center; East Jordan, Mich.
- Esse Health; St. Louis
- Essentia Health; Duluth, Minn.
- Family Health Centers of San Diego; San Diego
- Green Spring Internal Medicine, LLC; Lutherville, Md.
- Holger Salazar, MD, FACC, Stern Cardiovascular Foundation; Germantown, Tenn.
- Jennifer Morrow, MD, FACC, Stern Cardiovascular Foundation; Germantown, Tenn.
- Kaiser Permanente; Southern California, Calif.
- Kelsey-Seybold Clinic – Cypress; Houston
- Kelsey-Seybold Clinic – Pasadena; Pasadena, Texas
- Lexington Family Practice; Lexington, S.C.
- Mark Backus, MD, FACP; Bend, Ore.
- Methodist Primary Care Group; Memphis, Tenn.
- Michael Rakotz, MD, FAAFP, Northwestern Medical Group; Evanston, Ill.
- P.S. Rudie Medical Clinic; Duluth, Minn.
- Peninsula Community Health Services; Bremerton, Wash.
- Premier Medical Associates; Monroeville, Penn.
- Presbyterian Healthcare Services; Albuquerque, N.M.
- PriMed Physicians; Dayton, Ohio
- Reginald Parker, MD, Northlake Family Medical Practice; Columbia, S.C.
- Roane County Family Health Care; Spencer, W.Va.
- Southwest Montana Community Health Center; Butte, Mont.
- Upper Valley Family Care; Troy and Piqua, Ohio
- WinMed Health Services; Cincinnati