Newswise — ALEXANDRIA, VA – The American Medical Group Foundation (AMGF) announced the addition of Men’s Health Network as the 12th national nonprofit partner of its Measure Up/Pressure Down™ campaign to improve high blood pressure (hypertension) prevention, detection, and control. Together, the organizations will educate men and their loved ones about what high blood pressure is, the risks it poses, and what people can do to prevent and manage it.
Collaboration will include the development and promotion of patient materials, local screening events, support during observances including National High Blood Pressure Education Month (May) and Men’s Health Week and Month (June), and traditional and social media outreach.
“We are happy to have Men’s Health Network join our efforts to engage patients and their families to address blood pressure control. Efforts to control this disease must extend beyond the doctor’s office, since our patients manage their blood pressure every day with lifestyle changes and medication use,” says Donald W. Fisher, Ph.D., CAE, president and chief executive officer of the American Medical Group Association (AMGA) and secretary of AMGF. “Our partnership with Men’s Health Network will enhance the ability of the Measure Up/Pressure Down™ campaign to better educate men and their loved ones about high blood pressure and how to control the silent killer.”
Gender is an uncontrollable risk factor for high blood pressure. Nationally, men have higher rates of the disease than women (34.1 percent compared to 32.7 percent) and get it earlier in life. Until age 45, more men than women get high blood pressure. The steps to control the disease are the same for all – lifestyle modifications and/or medication adherence.
“We are delighted to partner with the Measure Up/Pressure Down ™ campaign. Men’s Health Network is committed to better serving the men, boys and families we reach through social and traditional media and on the ground efforts, especially around the issue of blood pressure control,” said Ana Fadich, M.P.H., CHES, vice president of Men’s Health Network. “This collaboration will help increase awareness of hypertension, a disease that affects men in large numbers and often goes undiagnosed.”
Measure Up/Pressure Down™ is a three-year national campaign to improve high blood pressure prevention, detection, and control, spearheaded by the AMGF, AMGA’s nonprofit education and research arm. Uncontrolled hypertension can lead to heart attacks, chronic heart failure, stroke, and other serious health issues. Measure Up/Pressure Down™ is the first initiative of the Chronic Care Challenge, a long-term effort by AMGF to improve quality of care and patient outcomes for chronic conditions with the greatest impact.
As part of its efforts, Measure Up/Pressure Down™ mobilizes medical groups and health systems to achieve the goal of having 80 percent of their patients with high blood pressure under control by 2016. The central mission of the campaign is to encourage medical groups and organized systems of care to adopt one or more evidence-based care processes that lead to measurable improvements in high blood pressure outcomes. Nearly 150 AMGA medical groups and health systems delivering care to more than 42 million patients have joined Measure Up/Pressure Down™.
The campaign also brings together national partners and sponsor organizations to work collectively to provide patients and communities information and tools that facilitate lifestyle changes, medication adherence, and other keys to successful blood pressure control.
Men’s Health Network joins other national partners and supporting organizations of the campaign, including the American Heart Association, American Kidney Fund, American Society of Hypertension, American Stroke Association, Association of Black Cardiologists, Institute for Health and Productivity Management, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Million Hearts® initiative, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, Right Care, and WomenHeart. Campaign sponsors that are committed to helping resolve this public health challenge: Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., Withings, Baptist Medical Group, Aetna, Humedica, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Epic, and Ralphs. For more information about the campaign, visit www.MeasureUpPressureDown.com.
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About the Measure Up/Pressure Down™ CampaignThe American Medical Group Foundation (AMGF), the nonprofit arm of the American Medical Group Association, launched Measure Up/Pressure Down™-a three-year national campaign to improve care and reduce the burden of high blood pressure on November 29, 2012. Measure Up/Pressure Down™ includes nearly 150 medical groups, health systems and national partners such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, and Geisinger Health System. The goal of the three-year campaign is to have 80 percent of high blood pressure patients in control of their condition by 2016. www.measureuppressuredown.com
About Men’s Health NetworkFounded in 1992, Men’s Health Network (MHN) is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to reach men, boys and their families where they live, work, play and pray with disease prevention messages and tools, screening programs, educational materials, advocacy opportunities, and patient navigation. Through a network of physicians, researchers, public health workers and key thought leaders, MHN is dedicated to significantly improving male health, longevity and quality of life. www.menshealthnetwork.org
About AMGFThe American Medical Group Foundation (AMGF) is the 501(c)(3) affiliate of the American Medical Group Association and it supports and disseminates research on better ways to deliver health care that is scientifically sound and value-based. AMGF also develops and supports educational programs to enable all stakeholders-providers, payers, policymakers and patients to translate the evidence of what works best into everyday practice. www.amga.org/foundation
About AMGAThe American Medical Group Association (AMGA) is a 501(c)(6) trade association representing medical groups, health systems, and other organized systems of care, including some of the nation's largest, most prestigious integrated delivery systems. AMGA is a leading voice in advocating for efficient, team-based, and accountable care. AMGA members encompass all models of organized systems of care in the healthcare industry, including: physician-owned, independent group practices, integrated delivery systems, hospital-affiliated medical groups, independent practice associations (IPAs), academic and faculty practices, accountable care organizations, and high-performing health systems. More than 130,000 physicians practice in AMGA member organizations, providing healthcare services for 120 million patients (approximately one in three Americans). Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, AMGA is the strategic partner for these organizations, providing a comprehensive package of benefits, including political advocacy, educational and networking programs, publications, benchmarking data services, and financial and operations assistance. www.amga.org
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