Million Hearts recognizes 2014 Hypertension Control Champions

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:

• Arsalan Shirwany, MD, FACC, Stern Cardiovascular Foundation, Germantown, Tennessee

• The Baton Rouge Clinic, AMC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

• Brett Gray, MD, Cherokee Nation Health Services, Salina, Oklahoma

• Colorado Springs Health Partners, Colorado Springs, Colorado

• Daniel Otten, MD, FACC, Stern Cardiovascular Foundation, Germantown, Tennessee

• Denver Health Community Health Services, Denver, Colorado

• East Jordan Family Health Center, East Jordan, Michigan

• Esse Health, St. Louis, Missouri

• Essentia Health, Duluth, Minnesota

• Family Health Centers of San Diego, San Diego, California

• Green Spring Internal Medicine, LLC, Lutherville, Maryland

• Holger Salazar, MD, FACC, Stern Cardiovascular Foundation, Germantown, Tennessee

• Jennifer Morrow, MD, FACC, Stern Cardiovascular Foundation, Germantown, Tennessee

• Kaiser Permanente, Southern California, California

• Kelsey-Seybold Clinic—Cypress, Houston, Texas

• Kelsey-Seybold Clinic—Pasadena,  Pasadena, Texas

• Lexington Family Practice, Lexington, South Carolina

• Mark Backus, MD, FACP, Bend, Oregon

• Methodist Primary Care Group, Memphis, Tennessee

• Michael Rakotz, MD, FAAFP, Northwestern Medical Group, Evanston, Illinois

• P.S. Rudie Medical Clinic, Duluth, Minnesota

• Peninsula Community Health Services, Bremerton, Washington

• Premier Medical Associates, Monroeville, Pennsylvania

• Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Albuquerque, New Mexico

• PriMed Physicians, Dayton, Ohio

• Reginald Parker, MD, Northlake Family Medical Practice, Columbia, South Carolina

• Roane County Family Health Care, Spencer, West Virginia

• Southwest Montana Community Health Center, Butte, Montana

• Upper Valley Family Care, Troy and Piqua, Ohio

• WinMed Health Services, Cincinnati, Ohio

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:

• Making high blood pressure control a priority

• Using evidence-based guidelines and protocols

• Designating hypertension champions within a practice or organization

• Using team-based care models to increase contact with patients

• Implementing consistent, strategic use of electronic health records that include clinical decision support tools, patient reminders, and registry functionality

• Staying engaged with patients by offering free blood pressure checks, in-home nurse visits, and medication checks by pharmacists

• Using public recognition or financial incentives when possible to recognize high-performing clinicians or teams

“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.”

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.