CommonSpirit Health Honored for Blood Pressure and Diabetes Care

For the second consecutive year, CommonSpirit Health received the highest possible honors in the American Heart Association and American Medical Association’s Target: BP and Target: Type 2 Diabetes recognition programs.The two programs award organizations for their efforts to improve blood pressure control rates and  improve quality of care for patients with Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors.

“We’re proud to be recognized for our focus on Type 2 diabetes and hypertension management and care,” said Phillip Chang, MD, MBA, FACS, CommonSpirit Chief Medical & Quality Officer. “These programs help us put the latest evidence-based guidelines to work improving the lives of our patients by reducing downstream health issues caused by high blood pressure and diabetes, like heart attacks, strokes, and chronic renal disease.”

Throughout 2026, CommonSpirit outpatient clinics  received 612 awards  in the Target: BP and Target: Type 2 Diabetes programs including:

Target: BP™

  - 226 Gold Plus, 39 Gold, 36 Silver Plus, and one Silver recognition

  - 88% of all CommonSpirit clinics recognized at Gold+ or Gold

  - 61 additional CommonSpirit clinics achieved Gold+ status compared to last year

Target: Type 2 Diabetes℠

  - 251 Gold and 57 Participant awards

  - 82% of all CommonSpirit clinics recognized at Gold

Target: BP is a national initiative formed by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association in response to the high prevalence of uncontrolled blood pressure — one of the leading preventable risk factors for heart disease, stroke, and premature death in the United States. The initiative aims to help healthcare organizations and care teams improve blood pressure control rates through an evidence-based quality improvement program and recognizes organizations committed to improving blood pressure control.

Target: Type 2 Diabetes is a national initiative formed by the American Heart Association to help health care organizations address cardiovascular disease risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes. This includes helping patients control their Hemoglobin A1c and blood pressure, and use of the appropriate statin therapy. 

“Heart disease and stroke remain the leading causes of death for Americans, and addressing Type 2 diabetes and blood pressure management are key for better cardiovascular health,” said Kevin Hwang, MD, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association's Outpatient Quality Improvement Advisory Group. “The American Heart Association is pleased to recognize CommonSpirit Health for its commitment to managing patient risk factors related to high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.”

This recognition is one of many initiatives that have driven strong performance in quality and safety for CommonSpirit nationwide, including:

• Leapfrog Hospital Safety: 82% of CommonSpirit sites achieved an 'A' or 'B' grade in Leapfrog’s spring 2026 hospital safety grades.

• CMS Star Ratings: For the sixth year in a row, CommonSpirit exceeded the national average for CMS Star Ratings, with 56% of hospitals earning 4 or 5 stars, compared to the national average of 42%.

• US News & World Report: 61 acute care CommonSpirit hospitals were recognized by U.S. News & World Report.