American Heart Association and American Medical Association announce inaugural list of physician practices and health systems receiving a Target: BP™ award for their commitment to prioritize blood pressure control within the communities they serve.
Houston, Texas – The American Heart Association (AHA) and American Medical Association (AMA) have announced the names of 310 physician practices and health systems nationwide being recognized for their commitment to reducing the number of Americans who have heart attacks and strokes each year. Kelsey-Seybold Clinic is among this group of first-time recipients of the AHA and AMA’s Target: BP Recognition Program awards and is the largest group in Houston to receive this recognition.
Launched in 2017, the Target: BP Recognition Program is an extension of Target: BP™—a national initiative between the AHA and AMA aimed at addressing the growing burden of high blood pressure in the U.S. More than 1,100 physician practices and health systems nationwide—including Kelsey-Seybold Clinic—have joined Target: BP™, sharing a common goal to reduce the number of adult patients with uncontrolled blood pressure and improve health outcomes associated with heart disease.
Kelsey-Seybold Clinic physicians and Quality Improvement team receives Target: BP™ GOLD award from American Heart Association staff for the clinic’s commitment to prioritizing blood pressure control within the communities they serve. Kelsey-Seybold Clinic is the largest group in Houston to receive this recognition. Names (L-R): Sara Schueneman – Senior Vice President Development, Houston Gulf Coast, American Heart Association; Victor Simms, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P., Chief of Internal Medicine, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic; Patrick Carter, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.F.P., Medical Director for Care Coordination and Quality Improvement and Chief of Family Medicine, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic; Olethia Chisolm, M.D., Internal Medicine, Kelsey-Seybold – Meyerland Clinic; Leon Jerrels, M.B.A., M.H.A., R.N., C.P.H.Q., Director of Quality Improvement, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic; Jometra Hawkins, Senior Community Impact Director, Houston Gulf Coast, American Heart Association; Tony Lin, M.D., F.H.M., Chairman of the Board of Managers and Managing Director, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic; Idonia Gardner, Vice President of Community Impact, Diversity and Inclusion SouthWest Affiliate, American Heart Association.
Of the 103 million Americans with high blood pressure, only about half are within a range that is considered controlled, even though high blood pressure can often be managed effectively when patients work with their physician to create and follow a treatment plan. No single risk factor has more impact on the nation’s death rate from cardiovascular disease than blood pressure.
“Physicians at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic are laser-focused on improving health outcomes for our patients with chronic conditions – we believe that management of conditions like high blood pressure is key in helping patients live healthier lives and when patients are healthier or in better control of their chronic conditions, we can help lower the total cost of care” said Patrick Carter, M.D., Medical Director for Care Coordination and Quality Improvement at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. “Receiving the Target: BP recognition serves as proof that when doctors and patients work together, health outcomes improve.”
To help physician practices and health systems achieve their goals, Target: BP™ provides all participants with a dedicated website featuring a free, evidence-based improvement program that includes tools and resources to help clinicians improve blood pressure control rates. To facilitate easy and seamless adoption of the Target: BP™ Improvement Program, registrants have access to trained support specialists within their community who can help identify specific program components to incorporate into clinical practice.
“While high blood pressure is an easy condition to treat in that we have the tools to do so, there are many variables and barriers to success for many patients,” said AMA President David O. Barbe, M.D. “The AHA and AMA developed and piloted the Target: BP program to help bring patients and health care providers together to successfully get blood pressure under control, and help patients keep it controlled. We applaud the providers who are already working hard to control their patients’ blood pressure, and we will continue to urge more physician practices, health systems and patients to join this effort to prioritize blood pressure control and increase the national control of blood pressure. Together, we can save many more lives and improve health outcomes nationwide.”
“We’re excited to bring Target: BP to physicians as a tool to help reduce the devastating impact of high blood pressure in terms of heart disease and stroke, and we’re proud to recognize practices that are joining us to increase focus on blood pressure control,” said AHA President John Warner, M.D.
“Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, along with all other practices being recognized, was honored during the AHA’s annual Scientific Sessions conference, and will also be featured in upcoming Target: BP materials. This includes appearing in print ads, on TargetBP.org, and the Target: BP Wall of Recognition that will be displayed at AMA and AHA events throughout the year.”
American Heart Month, a federally designated event, is an ideal time to remind Americans to focus on their hearts and encourage them to get their families, friends and communities involved.
- The first American Heart Month, which took place in February 1964, was proclaimed by President Lyndon B. Johnson via Proclamation 3566 on December 30, 1963.
- Using the 2017 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults, 45.6 percent of US adults have hypertension.