Geisinger recognized by American Heart Association for blood pressure, cholesterol management
Primary Care reaches goals for controlling risk factors in adult patients
Through participation in the AHA and AMA’s Target BP™ initiative, Geisinger has earned Gold-level recognition. The Gold award recognizes health care organizations that have 70 percent or more of their adult patient population with high blood pressure controlled.
Geisinger has also earned Gold-level recognition through participation in the AHA’s Check. Change. Control. Cholesterol™ initiative. The Gold award recognizes health care organizations that have 70 percent or more of their adult patient population at risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) appropriately managed with statin therapy.
“Our Primary Care teams are profoundly dedicated to preventing, identifying and treating chronic conditions. Their work around management of these conditions, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, is a testament to their practice and the patients they serve,” said Stacei Faust, quality program coordinator for Geisinger Care Gaps. “It’s an honor to be recognized for that work by the AHA and AMA, and my pleasure to work alongside these remarkable colleagues.”
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a leading risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and preventable death in the United States. There are 116 million U.S. adults living with high blood pressure, and less than half of those people have it under control – making diagnosing and effectively managing hypertension critical.
Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the U.S., with an estimated 92.1 million adults having at least one type of cardiovascular disease that can lead to heart attack, stroke or death. The use of statin therapy for the prevention of ASCVD in many higher-risk patients is supported by an extensive body of evidence, but many patients who might benefit from this therapy go untreated or undertreated, according to the AHA.
“We recognize how important aggressive and early treatment of chronic conditions like hypertension and hyperlipidemia is in preventing disease progression and serious complications like heart attack, stroke and kidney disease,” said Cybele Pacheco, M.D., director of Community Medicine in Geisinger’s west region. “Prevention and team-based management of chronic diseases is our focus in Primary Care, and it shows the collaborative work among our Geisinger teams.”
About Target: BP
Target: BP is a national collaboration between the AHA and the AMA aimed at reducing the number of Americans 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 BP control rates through use of the evidence-based AMA MAP BP™ quality improvement program, and recognizes organizations committed to improving blood pressure control.
About Check. Change. Control. Cholesterol
The AHA launched Check. Change. Control. Cholesterol to improve the identification and management of cholesterol across the nation. This national initiative aims to reduce the number of Americans who have heart attacks and strokes by urging medical practices, health service organizations, and patients to screen and treat this important risk factor.
Check. Change. Control. Cholesterol supports physicians and care teams by offering access to the latest research, tools, and resources to reach and sustain cholesterol control rates among the adult patient population that they serve.
About Geisinger
Geisinger is among the nation’s leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the non-profit system generates $10 billion in annual revenues across 134 care sites - including 10 hospital campuses, and Geisinger Health Plan, with 600,000 members in commercial and government plans. The Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 5,000 medical professionals annually and conducts more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With 26,000 employees, including 1,600 employed physicians, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania’s largest employers with an estimated economic impact of $14 billion to the state’s economy. On March 31, 2024, Geisinger became the first member of Risant Health, a new nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country. Learn more at geisinger.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.
