Holzer Health System is nationally recognized for efforts to improve blood pressure control

The American Heart Association and American Medical Association presented the Target: BP Gold+ Award for commitment to prioritizing blood pressure control. 

Holzer Health System has been recognized by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association for its commitment to improving blood pressure (BP) control rates, earning Gold+ level recognition as part of Target: BP™. 

The Gold Plus achievement award recognizes practices that have demonstrated evidence-based practices for BP measurement and treatment and in which high blood pressure is controlled in 70% or more of the affected adult patients.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a leading risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and preventable death in the U.S. There are 122.4 million U.S. adults living with hypertension. That is nearly half of all adults in the country. Unfortunately, just a quarter of them have their BP under control, making both diagnosis and effective management critical. In the U.S., heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death, respectively, and stroke is a leading cause of disability.

“Addressing blood pressure management is key for better cardiovascular health – and critical today, when heart disease and stroke continue to be leading causes of death for adults in the U.S.,” said Matt Mossburg, Director, Population Health Services, Holzer Health System. “High blood pressure is a leading risk factor of heart disease and stroke that can often be prevented or managed if diagnosed and treated properly.”

Target: BP is a national initiative formed by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association in response to the high prevalence of uncontrolled blood pressure. The initiative aims to help health care organizations and care teams, at no cost, improve blood pressure control rates through an evidence-based quality improvement program and recognizes organizations, like Holzer Health System, that are committed to improving blood pressure control.

“By committing to helping more people in our communities control their blood pressure and reduce their risks for future heart disease and stroke, Holzer is taking a key step to helping more people live longer, healthier lives,” said Wanpen Vongpatanasin, M.D., volunteer member of the Target: BP Advisory Group and liaison to the American Heart Association Hypertension Council. “Holzer’s participation in the Target: BP initiative shows its dedication to turning clinical guidelines into lifelines for patients and their families.”

Holzer Population Health works with our patients to offer preventative health services, which improves the patient’s health status and promotes healthy outcomes in our communities. Improving population health involves understanding our regional health needs and optimizing solutions and programs for the health of our citizens as defined by those needs.

Holzer Health System, along with other health systems being recognized, will be featured in upcoming Target: BP materials. This includes appearing on TargetBP.org, and acknowledged at AMA and AHA events throughout the year. For more information on Population Health Services, call 1-855-4-HOLZER.

 ###

About Target: BP^TM

Target: BP™ is a national initiative formed by the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association in response to the high prevalence of uncontrolled blood pressure. Target: BP helps health care organizations and care teams, at no cost, improve BP control rates through an evidence-based quality improvement program and recognizes organizations committed to improving BP control.

Photo is of (left to right): Matt Mossburg, Director, Population Health Services, Holzer Health System, Diana Briggs, Community Impact Director, Healthcare, American Heart Association, and Jennifer Gaines, LPN, Manager, Operational Improvement & Data Utilization, Holzer Health System.