CommonSpirit Recognized for Efforts to Improve Heart Care

CommonSpirit Health and 324 of its clinics have been recognized by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association for their commitment to improving blood pressure control rates in the Target: BP initiative. 

CommonSpirit  and 324 of its clinics have also been recognized by the American Heart Association for improving quality of care for patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors in the Target: Type 2 Diabetes initiative.

Target: BP

Target: BP  is a national initiative from the American Heart Association and American Medical Association that  aims to help health care organizations and care teams, at no cost, improve blood pressure control rates through an evidence-based quality improvement program and recognizes organizations that are committed to improving blood pressure control. 

CommonSpirit Health as a whole and 164 CommonSpirit clinics earned Target: BP Gold+ level recognition. 113 CommonSpirit clinics earned Gold level, 22 earned Silver+, 2 earned Silver and 23 clinics reached Participant level. 

Target: BP levels are as follows:

• The Participation achievement award recognizes practices that have submitted data for the first time and committed to reducing the number of adult patients with uncontrolled blood pressure. 
• The Silver achievement award recognizes practices that have demonstrated commitment to improving blood pressure control through blood pressure measurement accuracy.
• The Silver+ achievement award recognizes practices that have demonstrated a commitment to improving blood pressure control through evidence-based practices for blood pressure measurement and treatment.
• The Gold achievement award recognizes practices in which high blood pressure is controlled in 70% or more of the adult patients affected. 
• The Gold+ achievement award recognizes practices that have demonstrated evidence-based practices for blood pressure measurement and treatment and in which high blood pressure is controlled in 70% or more of the affected adult patients.

Target: Type 2 Diabetes

Target: Type 2 Diabetes  is a national initiative from 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. CommonSpirit Health as a whole and 258 CommonSpirit clinics earned  Gold recognition and an additional 66 CommonSpirit clinics are Participants in the initiative. 

The Target: Type 2 Diabetes Gold achievement award is given for impressive Hemoglobin A1c control in patients with diabetes and greater than 70% adherence to the cardiovascular-focused clinical measures in controlling high blood pressure. Participant achievement recognizes clinics that show awareness, detection and management of diabetes and cardiovascular risk. 

“We do this work because it’s the right thing to do for our patients and their families,” said Gary Greensweig, DO, FAAFP, CommonSpirit System SVP and Chief Physician Executive for Physician Enterprise. “What we want most for our patients is a reduction in downstream health issues caused by high blood pressure and diabetes, like heart attacks, strokes, and chronic renal disease. Instead, we want them to have more independence, birthdays, and celebrations with children and grandchildren. We believe that’s what our relationship with our patients should be all about.”

“By committing to helping more Americans control their blood pressure and reduce their risks for future heart disease and stroke, CommonSpirit Health  is taking a key step to helping more people live longer, healthier lives,” said Wanpen Vongpatanasin, MD, volunteer member of the Target: BP Advisory Group and liaison to the American Heart Association Hypertension Council.

Learn more at TargetBP.org and heart.org/targettype2diabetesoutpatient.