Million Hearts®, a national initiative led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), recognized Atrius Health as a winner of its 2015 Hypertension Control Challenge. Atrius Health is one of 18 Hypertension Control Champions nationwide and one of two health systems in Massachusetts recognized this year for its evidence-based strategies to help patients achieve blood pressure control rates at or above 70 percent.
“Partnering with our patients to control their blood pressure using a coordinated, team-based approach bolstered by our innovations in health information technology aligns perfectly with our patient-centered philosophy of delivering high-quality preventative care,” said Dr. Sean Uiterwyk, Senior Medical Director for Performance Excellence at Atrius Health. “We are honored to receive this recognition from Million Hearts® that shows the continued dedication of our staff and clinical care teams to ensuring the long-term health of our patients.”
According to the CDC, high blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke, which are the first and fifth leading causes of death in the United States. Nearly one in three American adults has high blood pressure, but only about half of people with the condition have it under control. To encourage effective blood pressure management among health systems nationwide, Million Hearts® has recognized hypertension control champions since 2012.
“We are excited to host this Challenge and showcase successful strategies used by our 2015 Champions to keep blood pressure under control, prevent heart attacks and strokes, and save lives,” said Janet Wright, M.D., FACC, a board-certified cardiologist and executive director of Million Hearts®. “Health care teams can follow our Champions’ lead to take steps to identify patients in their practice who are at risk for or who have high blood pressure and connect them to the care they need.”
For a full list of this year’s Hypertension Control Champions and more information on the Hypertension Control Challenge, please visit the Million Hearts® announcement on the CDC website.