Newswise — ALEXANDRIA, VA – The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) announced today that Withings, a leader in creating smart consumer connected health devices and applications, is sponsoring a major project with Measure Up/Pressure Down® to improve high blood pressure control through the home use of the new Withings Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor.

Over the course of 18 months, 150 patients at four AMGA medical groups will work with their health care providers to lower their blood pressure with the help of the Withings Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor (http://withings.com/en/bloodpressuremonitor). The monitor connects with any iOS or Android device, automatically tracks blood pressure readings, and allows patients to securely and seamlessly share data with their medical providers and caregivers.

“We are very excited to be partnering with AMGA at the forefront of the health and technology convergence. The goal of this home blood pressure monitoring project is to apply our key learnings to make a substantial impact in the world of health and how we currently tackle disease states in America,” said Cedric Hutchings, CEO and co-founder of Withings. “One hundred and fifty patients across the country will use our new FDA-approved Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor to improve their health – a testament to how Withings is bridging the gap between wellness and healthcare.”

Measure Up/Pressure Down® is a three-year national campaign to improve high blood pressure prevention, detection, and control, spearheaded by the American Medical Group Foundation (AMGF), the AMGA’s nonprofit education and research arm. High blood pressure is one of our nation's most significant health issues. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, high blood pressure contributes to nearly 1,000 deaths a day and accounts for an estimated $156 billion in health care services, medications and lost productivity. An estimated 68 million Americans have the disease, often referred to as the silent killer. Uncontrolled hypertension can lead to many serious health issues, including heart attacks, chronic heart failure, and stroke.

“At-home monitoring, when done in conjunction with a healthcare provider, is an important way patients can measure, monitor, and maintain their blood pressure,” says Donald W. Fisher, Ph.D., CAE, President and Chief Executive Officer of AMGA. “AMGF greatly appreciates Withings’ support which will allow four of our medical groups to improve patient health and learn more about the effectiveness of home blood pressure monitors.”

As part of its efforts, Measure Up/Pressure Down® mobilizes medical groups and health systems to achieve the goal of having 80 percent of their patients with high blood pressure under control by 2016. The central mission of the campaign is to encourage medical groups and organized systems of care to adopt one or more evidence-based care processes that lead to measurable improvements in high blood pressure outcomes. Nearly 150 AMGA medical groups and health systems delivering care to more than 42 million patients have joined Measure Up/Pressure Down®.

The campaign also brings together national partners and sponsor organizations to work collectively to provide patients and communities information and tools that facilitate lifestyle changes, medication adherence, and other keys to successful blood pressure control. Partners and supporting organizations of the campaign include the American Heart Association, American Kidney Fund, American Society of Hypertension, American Stroke Association, Association of Black Cardiologists, Institute for Health and Productivity Management, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Men’s Health Network, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Million Hearts® initiative, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, Right Care Initiative, and WomenHeart. Withings joins seven campaign sponsors that are committed to helping resolve this public health challenge: Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., Baptist Medical Group, Aetna, Humedica, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Epic, and Ralphs. For more information about the campaign, visit www.MeasureUpPressureDown.com.

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About the Measure Up/Pressure Down® CampaignThe American Medical Group Foundation (AMGF), the nonprofit arm of the American Medical Group Association, launched Measure Up/Pressure Down®-a three-year national campaign to improve care and reduce the burden of high blood pressure on November 29, 2012. Measure Up/Pressure Down™ includes nearly 150 medical groups, health systems and national partners such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, and Geisinger Health System. The goal of the three-year campaign is to have 80 percent of high blood pressure patients in control of their condition by 2016. www.measureuppressuredown.com

About WithingsWithings is the company that leads the connected-health revolution. Founded by visionary innovators Cédric Hutchings and Eric Carreel, Withings create products and services that empower people to track their lifestyle and improve their everyday well-being for a better long-term health. Emotional, flawlessly designed and simple-to-use, they seamlessly introduce cutting-edge innovation into people’s daily routine. Since 2009, Withings has built a range of products that covers the whole health spectrum including the Withings Pulse (activity tracker), the Smart Body Analyzer, the Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor and Withings Aura. Every piece of collected data comes to life into the Withings Health Mate application where users get coaching and motivation tools to shape every aspect of their health. Read more about Withings on www.withings.com.

About AMGFThe American Medical Group Foundation (AMGF) is the 501(c)(3) affiliate of the American Medical Group Association and it supports and disseminates research on better ways to deliver health care that is scientifically sound and value-based. AMGF also develops and supports educational programs to enable all stakeholders-providers, payers, policymakers and patients to translate the evidence of what works best into everyday practice. www.amga.org/foundation

About AMGAThe American Medical Group Association (AMGA) is a 501(c)(6) trade association representing medical groups, health systems, and other organized systems of care, including some of the nation's largest, most prestigious integrated delivery systems. AMGA is a leading voice in advocating for efficient, team-based, and accountable care. AMGA members encompass all models of organized systems of care in the healthcare industry, including: physician-owned, independent group practices, integrated delivery systems, hospital-affiliated medical groups, independent practice associations (IPAs), academic and faculty practices, accountable care organizations, and high-performing health systems. More than 150,000 physicians practice in AMGA member organizations, providing healthcare services for 120 million patients (approximately one in three Americans). Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, AMGA is the strategic partner for these organizations, providing a comprehensive package of benefits, including political advocacy, educational and networking programs, publications, benchmarking data services, and financial and operations assistance. www.amga.org