NYC Health + Hospitals Announces National Recognition for Reducing Blood Pressure
The awards recognize outpatient programs around the nation for best practices in managing hypertension, or high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart attack and stroke
Nov 18, 2022
NYC Health + Hospitals today announced all 11 of its hospitals and 7 of its Gotham Health sites were recognized by the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association for their work in managing hypertension, or high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart attack and stroke. Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have some form of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke or heart failure. Uncontrolled high blood pressure is a leading risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but with timely diagnosis, research-based treatment and education, this condition can be managed.
“1 in 4 New Yorkers has high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart attack and stroke,” said Machelle Allen, MD, Chief Medical Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals. “Patients are often surprised to learn they have high blood pressure because they don’t feel sick. That’s why it’s so important that our hospitals and primary care sites are committed to helping patients manage their high blood pressure. I thank the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association for bringing attention to this critical issue.”
“This recognition from the AHA and AMA is a testament to the hard work that our staff do each day to support patients with hypertension,” said Nichola Davis, MD, MS, Vice President and Chief Population Health Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals. “Blood pressure control is critical in reducing risk of cardiovascular events, and our staff work with patients in many ways including teaching them about their medications, as well as assisting them in making lifestyle changes to improve their blood pressure. I am extremely proud that as a health system, we recognize the importance of treating blood pressure and are able to provide patients with the tools they need to achieve and sustain blood pressure control.”
“NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health is committed to sharply reducing the number of heart attacks and strokes for our fellow New Yorkers each year,” said Michelle Lewis, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health’s Chief Executive Officer. “I am very proud Gotham Health provides high quality, accessible, and affordable health care to our diverse community every day. This trifecta allows our patients to effectively manage their health by helping to reduce contributors to cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and stress triggers.”
The hospitals won the following Target: BP awards from the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association this year:
Target BP Gold+
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Cumberland
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Morrisania
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan
- NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull
Target BP Gold
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Belvis
Target BP Silver
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, East New York
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, North Brooklyn
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi
- NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens
Target BP Participant
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Sydenham
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem
“Addressing blood pressure management is key for better cardiovascular health – and critical today, when heart disease and stroke continue to be leading causes of death for Americans,” said Howard Haft, M.D., MMM, CPE, FACPE, volunteer science expert for the American Heart Association and executive director of the Maryland Primary Care Program, in Baltimore. “The American Heart Association is pleased to recognize NYC Health + Hospitals for its commitment to managing patient risk factors related to high blood pressure.”
The American Heart Association and American Medical Association confer Target BP Gold+ status to practices that meet the Gold status criteria and complete 4 of 6 evidence-based BP activities; Gold status to practices that have 70 percent or more of their adult patient population with high blood pressure controlled; Silver status to practices that submit data and complete 4 of 6 evidence-based BP activities; and Participant status to practices that submit data for the first-time and commit to reducing the number of adult patients with uncontrolled blood pressure.
Contact: pressoffice@nychhc.org; 212.788.3339
About Target: BPTM
Target: BP™ is a national collaboration between the American Heart Association and American Medical Association to reduce the number of Americans who suffer from heart attacks and strokes each year by urging physician practices, health systems and patients to prioritize hypertension control. The initiative aims to help health care organizations improve blood pressure control rates using evidence-based protocols, tools and resources and recognizes organizations that treat patients with hypertension for achieving blood pressure control rates within the populations they serve.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation. We are a network of 11 hospitals, trauma centers, neighborhood health centers, nursing homes, and post-acute care centers. We are a home care agency and a health plan, MetroPlus. Our health system provides essential services to more than one million New Yorkers every year in more than 70 locations across the city’s five boroughs. Our diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. Visit us at www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NYCHealthSystem or Twitter at @NYCHealthSystem.