Background
High blood pressure (HBP) is sometimes called the “silent killer” because there often aren’t symptoms, but the condition can lead to deadly health consequences, including heart attack and stroke. Unfortunately, HBP often goes undiagnosed, misunderstood or ignored.
The American Heart Association conducted a series of studies to see if a multi-disciplinary, community-wide program could be effective in improving blood pressure results for its participants. Findings revealed improved blood pressure control among those who took part in a collaborative program that integrated community and clinical health resources.
In January 2013, the American Heart Association launched Check. Change. Control. throughout the United States, a community-based blood pressure program in which participants monitor their blood pressure at least eight times for four consecutive months at home or in community settings, with social support and accountability from a Volunteer Health Mentor.
About Check. Change. Control. Connecting Communities and Care
To capitalize on this team-based approach, AHA launched Check. Change. Control. Connecting Communities and Care through a grant from the Kaiser Permanente National Community Benefit Fund at the East Bay Community Foundation.
Check. Change. Control. Connecting Communities and Care connects participants with technology platforms in clinics, health care providers, community organizations and volunteer health mentors to help with HBP management. Our goal is for 65% of the program’s African-American participants to have their blood pressure under control (<140/90 mm Hg or the target set by the participants’ physicians), however we encourage participating organizations to customize their goals to best support program objectives and population needs in their own community.
Check. Change. Control. Connecting Communities and Care combines evidence-based programs, tools and resources for clinics and community organizations to improve the health of participants including:
- The Guideline Advantage™ is a quality improvement program for healthcare providers that promotes the use of evidence-based treatment guidelines, performance measurement tools and strategies to improve HBP screening and management of patients with high blood pressure. Learn more about using The Guideline Advantage for your local program.
- Heart 360® is a digital health monitoring system that helps patients understand and track the factors that affect their heart health, such as blood pressure and physical activity. Heart360® safely and securely stores personal information in a health application called Microsoft® HealthVault™.
- Higi is a health monitoring station located in pharmacies and grocery stores throughout the nation. Higi analyzes all of your health and wellness info, including blood pressure, to calculate one simple number — the Higi Score — making it an easy way to understand, track and improve your overall health. The higher your score, the better. The AHA is working with higi to determine how it can be utilized in clinical settings.
Setting Up Your Program
Check out the different phases and steps that can help guide your program.
Participation
Understand who can participate in the program as well as key considerations for participation.