Aspirus Divine
Savior Hospital and Clinic has been recognized by the American Heart
Association (AHA) and American Medical Association (AMA) for its commitment to
improving blood pressure (BP) control rates, earning silver level recognition
as part of the Target: BP™ initiative.
The Silver award
recognizes practices that have demonstrated a commitment to improving blood
pressure control through measurement accuracy. Aspirus Divine Savior was one of
13 health care facilities in Wisconsin to receive the silver level recognition.
“High blood
pressure, or hypertension, is a leading risk factor for heart attacks, strokes,
kidney disease and dementia as well as preventable death in the U.S.,” said
Aspirus Portage Clinic Family Medicine Physician Susan Kreckman, M.D. “The good
news is it can often be prevented or managed if diagnosed and treated
properly.”
There are 121.5
million U.S. adults living with hypertension which is 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.1 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 Walter Kao, MD, an Aspirus Cardiologist at Aspirus
Divine Savior.
Target: BP is a
national collaboration between the AHA and AMA 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 [name of
organization]’s commitment to improving hypertension control.
“By committing to
helping more people in Portage control their blood pressure and reduce their
risks for future heart disease and stroke, Aspirus Divine Savior 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. Aspirus Health’s
participation in the Target: BP initiative shows its dedication to turning
clinical guidelines into lifelines for patients and their families.”