Newswise — ALEXANDRIA, VA – The American Medical Group Foundation (AMGF) today announced that three medical groups and health systems in the Washington, DC metropolitan area will participate in the inaugural Measure Up/Pressure Down® National Day of Action: Roll Up Your Sleeves! on May 15, 2014.
Inova Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente, and MedStar Health will host free blood pressure screenings and provide educational materials at sites throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia to raise awareness and improve control of the disease.
High blood pressure (hypertension) is one of our nation's most significant health issues. An estimated 68 million Americans have the disease, often referred to as the silent killer. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to heart disease, stroke, heart attack, kidney disease, and other serious health problems. According to local data, prevalence rates in in the greater Washington, DC region are as high as 55 percent.
“We are extremely proud of three local American Medical Group Association members—Inova Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente, and MedStar Health—for their commitment to blood pressure control on the National Day of Action and throughout the entire year,” said Donald W. Fisher, Ph.D., CAE, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Medical Group Association (AMGA). “These groups and nearly 150 fellow AMGA members are working daily to improve high blood pressure rates and ultimately patient health, in conjunction with our Measure Up/Pressure Down® campaign.”
The Measure Up/Pressure Down® National Day of Action: Roll Up Your Sleeves! is held during National High Blood Pressure Education Month, recognized annually in May. On May 15, nearly 70 medical groups, health systems, sponsors, and partners across the nation will take at least one “action” in their local community to raise awareness of high blood pressure to patients, providers, employees, or the general public. Planned activities include free community screenings and counseling, media outreach, patient educational resources, employee brown bag lunches, giveaways, social media campaigns, and more.
Led by the American Medical Group Foundation, Measure Up/Pressure Down® is a three-year campaign to improve high blood pressure prevention, detection, and control. Measure Up/Pressure Down® mobilizes nearly 150 medical groups and health systems—including Inova Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente, and MedStar Health—to achieve the goal of having 80 percent of their patients with high blood pressure under control by 2016. To achieve this goal, systems of care adopt one or more evidence-based care processes that lead to measureable improvements in outcomes. Collectively, participating groups and systems deliver care to more than 42 million patients.
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. Partners include 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, Men’s Health Network, 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 and Measure Up/Pressure Down® National Day of Action: Roll Up Your Sleeves!, visit www.MeasureUpPressureDown.com.
# # #
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 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
RSS