Hypertension Control Exemplars 2021
Successful Innovations During the COVID-19 Pandemic
During this time of unprecedented health care challenges, Million Hearts® paused its annual Hypertension Control Champions recognition program in favor of identifying Hypertension Control Exemplars: health care practices, community health centers, and supporting health care organizations that demonstrated excellence in prioritizing and improving hypertension control during the pandemic.1
Million Hearts® is recognizing these Exemplars to acknowledge their dedication and ingenuity in addressing patients’ blood pressure needs, celebrate the impact they had on blood pressure outcomes, and demonstrate what unique hypertension management strategies are possible during a public health emergency. Many of the adaptions made by the Exemplars can and will be continued during non-crisis times and add important insights into creative solutions to long standing problems, such as improving hypertension control.
Click on each Exemplar to learn more about the innovative ways they used diverse approaches to help maintain patients’ hypertension control during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clinical Practices
![Community Health & Wellness Partners](/https/millionhearts.hhs.gov/images/Exemplars-Social-Card-4-2-medium.jpg?_=04688)
Community Health & Wellness Partners, a Federally Qualified Health Center, bolstered participation in their virtual Chronic Care Management program and used tele-pharmacy to help hypertension patients.
![Jessie Trice Community Health System](/https/millionhearts.hhs.gov/images/Exemplars-Social-Card-4-3-medium.jpg?_=05504)
Jessie Trice Community Health System used a drive-through clinic and remote monitoring during the pandemic to help patients control their hypertension.
![Philadelphia FIGHT](/https/millionhearts.hhs.gov/images/Exemplars-Social-Card-Philadelphia-medium.jpg?_=05512)
Philadelphia FIGHT care staff called and delivered hypertension medication to hundreds of patients during the pandemic to help them manage their chronic condition.
![The University of Southern California School of Pharmacy California Right Meds Collaborative](/https/millionhearts.hhs.gov/images/Exemplars-Social-Card-4-6-medium.jpg?_=05509)
The University of Southern California School of Pharmacy California Right Meds Collaborative trained pharmacists on how to assist patients virtually during the pandemic to help manage chronic conditions.
Quality Improvement Healthcare Organizations
![Aledade](/https/millionhearts.hhs.gov/images/Exemplars-Social-Card-4-1-medium.jpg?_=05858)
Aledade assisted three Kansas practices in a virtual format to improve patients’ hypertension and then scaled these strategies to more practices.
![Missouri Hospital Association](/https/millionhearts.hhs.gov/images/Exemplars-Social-Card-4-4-medium.jpg?_=05506)
The Missouri Hospital Association provided home cuffs to pregnant and postpartum patients at risk for hypertension complications.
![Quality Insights](/https/millionhearts.hhs.gov/images/Exemplars-Social-Card-4-5-medium.jpg?_=05507)
Quality Insights transformed their quality improvement support services to meet health care organizations’ needs in improving patients’ hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic.
![YMCA of Central New York](/https/millionhearts.hhs.gov/images/Exemplars-Social-Card-4-7-medium.jpg?_=05510)
YMCA of Central New York transitioned their worksite wellness Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program to a virtual format for employees working remotely.
Reference
- Abbas A, Hannan J, Stolp H, Coronado F, Sperling LS. Commitment to Hypertension Control During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Million Hearts Initiative Exemplars. Prev Chronic Dis. 2022;19:E47. Published 2022 Aug 4. doi:10.5888/pcd19.210439