Print
Category: Health News

Washington, DC - Today the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Million Hearts initiative recognized 30 public and private health care practices and systems across the country as Hypertension Control Champions for their success in helping patients control high blood pressure.

The 2014 Hypertension Control Champions include private and tribal clinical practices and health services, ranging from solo practitioners to large systems and representing both urban and rural areas. Together they care for more than 3.5 million adult patients in 19 different states. Each Champion was able to achieve hypertension control rates of 70 percent or more.

“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,” said HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell. “More and more practices are using evidence-based strategies to help patients keep blood pressure down—a strong sign that we’re making progress in preventing heart attacks and strokes.”

Nearly 1 in 3 American adults has hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. Only half have it under control, putting them at greater risk of developing heart disease or stroke—two of the leading causes of death in the U.S.

“Million Hearts launched this challenge in 2012 to recognize clinicians and health care teams across the country for helping their patients protect heart health,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “We implore other 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:

To be eligible, entrants shared verifiable high blood pressure control data and highlighted successful strategies or best practices adopted by the practice or system, such as the use of health information technology or team-based care. All Champions achieved control rates ranging from 70 percent to more than 90 percent of adult patients by using a variety of innovative approaches, including:

“We are excited to host this challenge for the third year and showcase more winners than ever before,” said Dr. Janet Wright, a board-certified cardiologist and executive director of Million Hearts. “Like the practices and clinicians recognized in previous years, these 2014 Champions are finding innovative, evidence-based ways to detect hypertension, connect patients with appropriate clinical care, and make blood pressure control their goal to save lives from heart attack and stroke.”

For more information about the Hypertension Control Challenge and the 2014 Champions, please visit http://millionhearts.hhs.gov/aboutmh/htn_champions.html.

CDC co-leads the Million Hearts initiative with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CDC developed the Hypertension Control Challenge as part of its longstanding efforts to identify prevention strategies that help patients achieve blood pressure control. Million Hearts is a national initiative to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017. Million Hearts brings together communities, health systems, nonprofit organizations, federal agencies, and private-sector partners from across the country to fight heart disease and stroke. For more information about the initiative and to access resources, visit http://millionhearts.hhs.gov