With news that BP control dropped among American adults, it signaled a growing need for physicians and other health professionals to recommit to prioritizing hypertension control. Many physician practices and health organizations continue to rise to that challenge. To recognize organizations for doing their part to improve BP control rates at their organizations, the AMA and American Heart Association (AHA) have honored more than 1,000 physician practices and health systems across the country through the Target: BP Recognition Program.
Target: BP™, a national initiative co-led by the AMA and AHA, celebrates physician practices and health systems that are making the management of hypertension a priority through two levels of recognition—Gold status and Participation status. This recognition follows the U.S. Surgeon General’s call to action to control hypertension and create tailored strategies aimed at improving reach and equity.
The recognized organizations represent 44 states or U.S. territories and serve nearly nine million patients with hypertension. Almost half of these organizations achieved Gold status recognition, which means they have achieved BP-control rates of 70% or higher in the patient population they serve. Additionally, 62% received Participation status for their submitted data and commitment to lowering their number of adult patients with uncontrolled BP.
“Hypertension control continues to be a top priority for the AMA and AHA,” said AMA President Susan R. Bailey, MD. “Together, we remain focused on ensuring all Americans, especially those in underrepresented and under-resourced communities, have access to quality health care and that all physicians have the support they need to control high blood pressure and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.”
Since launching Target: BP, more than 1,900 organizations have joined the initiative to make hypertension control a priority. Each physician practice and health system share the common goal of improving health outcomes associated with heart disease. Learn more from the AMA about how to earn recognition for your BP control work.
Hear from an organization
One organization that achieved a BP-control rate of 70% or higher is Advocate Aurora Walker’s Point Community Clinic, which is the largest free clinic in Wisconsin and cares for people who are low income, immigrants, refugees and underserved. Based in Milwaukee, Walker’s Point Community Clinic earned Gold status recognition for the second year in a row.
“As medical providers, we must have accountability for the care we deliver to our patients,” said Maria Perez Garcia, a registered nurse at Walker's Point Community Clinic. “At the end of the day, helping our patients achieve good blood pressure control means that we are saving lives.
“Being able to sustain these results over the last several years means that we are providing the care our patients deserve,” she added.
Each year, participating medical groups will submit information about their adult patient populations. The submission data includes the total number of adult patients with hypertension and those with controlled hypertension, and also includes number of patients by age group, gender, and race/ethnicity.
Data from 2020 will be submitted in the first half of 2021, with participants notified of recognition status in the fall. Registration is open to all medical practices.
In addition to submitting annual data for hypertension control rates, starting in 2021 participants can be recognized for their team’s commitment to accuracy in BP measurement. Organizations attesting to four of the six evidence-based BP activities will be eligible to receive the Silver or Gold+ award in 2021.
