Family Health Care nationally recognized for efforts to reduce uncontrolled blood pressure among patients
Family Health Care 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 the Target: BP™ initiative.
The Gold award recognizes practices in which high blood pressure is controlled in 70 percent or more of the adult patients affected.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a leading risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and preventable death in the U.S. There are 121.5 million adults currently living with hypertension. That’s nearly half of all adults in the country. Unfortunately, less than half of them have their BP under control, making both diagnosis and effective management critical. In the U.S., heart disease and stroke are the number one and number five 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 as heart disease and stroke continue to be leading causes of death for adults in the U.S.,” said Amy Tompkins, quality director for Family Health Care. “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 collaboration between the American Heart Association and American Medical Association aimed at reducing the number of adults in the U.S. who suffer from heart attacks and strokes each year by urging physician practices, health systems and patients to prioritize BP control. The initiative aims to help health care organizations improve blood pressure control rates using evidence-based protocols and recognizes Family Health Care’s commitment to improving hypertension control.
“By committing to helping more people in West Central Michigan control their blood pressure and reduce their risks for future heart disease and stroke, Family Health Care is taking a key step to helping more people live longer, healthier lives,” said Howard Haft, M.D., MMM, CPE, FACPE, volunteer expert for the AHA and executive director of the Maryland Primary Care Program, in Baltimore. “Family Health Care’s participation in the Target: BP initiative shows its dedication to turning clinical guidelines into lifelines for patients and their families.”
About Target: BP:
Target: BP is a national collaboration between the American Heart Association and American Medical Association to reduce the number of Americans who experience heart attacks and strokes each year by urging physician practices, health systems and patients to prioritize hypertension control. The initiative supports health care organizations to improve blood pressure control rates through use of evidence-based protocols, tools and resources and recognizes organizations for achieving blood pressure control rates within the populations they serve.
About Family Health Care:
Family Health Care (FHC), is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization established in 1967, as one of the first community health centers in the U.S. to develop a “one-stop-multiple services” concept for health care services for all. FHC offers family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, comprehensive dental service, full-service pharmacies, laboratory, x-ray, behavioral health care, health education and school-based programing. Centers are located in Baldwin, Big Rapids, Cadillac, Grant, McBain and White Cloud. Our team is composed of diverse and passionate individuals who want to make a positive impact in the communities we serve. For more information, visit www.familyhealthcare.org.
Media Contact:
Alan Neushwander
Director, External & Internal Relations
(231) 745-0433
aneushwander@familyhealthcare.org
