Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Champions
According to the Million Hearts® initiative, cardiovascular disease is responsible for one in three deaths and costs about one in every six healthcare dollars in the United States. In an effort to combat this debilitating and costly disease, the Million Hearts® national initiative aims to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes within five years. It focuses on implementing a small set of evidence-based priorities and targets that can improve cardiovascular health for all.
In support of this goal, Million Hearts® recognizes health care providers across the country as part of it's annual Hypertension Control Challenge. In order to be recognized as a Hypertension Control Champion, health professionals and practices must submit data to support achieving hypertension control rates of at least 80 percent within their adult patients who have diagnosed hypertension.
Delaware Primary Care, LLC Recognized as Champion
Included in the distinguished group of 2020 Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Champions is Delaware Primary Care, LLC, located in Dover, DE. The practice’s clinician team identified challenges that many of its patients face when trying to manage and control blood pressure, which include affording medications and taking medications as prescribed, as well as controlling their diet and managing other medical conditions.
Office Manager Kim Harris partnered with Quality Insights’ health care quality improvement experts to address the barriers related to high blood pressure control and, in the process, helped the practice accomplish the impressive achievement of being named the first ever Million Hearts® 2020 Hypertension Control Champion in the state of Delaware.
“We updated some procedures and used our whole care team to help patients learn how to manage high blood pressure,” said Harris. “We also started offering hypertension education on flash drives and other paper materials from Quality Insights.” Additionally, the practice loaned blood pressure monitors to patients who were unable to purchase their own, thereby allowing them to keep better tabs on their blood pressure readings from home.
Quality Insights Practice Transformation Specialist Ashley Biscardi worked closely with Harris throughout the process, and was not surprised when Delaware Primary Care was designated a Champion. “I’ve had a long-standing relationship with this practice for over six years. The physicians and staff truly care for their patients and their well-being.”
While COVID-19 impacted facets of care throughout the health care industry, Biscardi notes that it didn’t slow down the practice’s progress. “Kim was always willing to answer any questions that the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) or I had. Even during the pandemic, we were continuously running reports and working on the process. I couldn’t ask for a better practice and support staff to work with.”
MILLION HEARTS® 2021 HYPERTENSION CONTROL EXEMPLARS
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic there was no Hypertension Control Challenge in 2021, however, Million Hearts® did recognize health care practices and organizations across the U.S. as 2021 Hypertension Control Exemplars for implementing successful innovations during the pandemic.
Quality Insights was recognized as a 2021 Million Hearts Hypertension Control Exemplar for the work our team conducted with medical practices to ensure that hypertension control remained a priority through this difficult time. Visit the Million Hearts® website to learn about the successful strategies implemented by the Quality Insights team.
