Contact:Sharon GraceVice President of Public RelationsAMGA (703) 838-0033, ext. 393[email protected]May 5, 2016
Over 80 Organizations Across the Country Take “Action” for Blood Pressure Today National Day of Action Led by AMGA Foundation’s Measure Up/Pressure Down® Campaign
Newswise — ALEXANDRIA, VA – AMGA Foundation today announced that more than 80 organizations are participating in the third Measure Up/Pressure Down® National Day of Action: Roll Up Your Sleeves! event on May 5, 2016. Medical groups, health systems, sponsors, and partners across the nation will take at least one “action” in their local community to raise awareness of high blood pressure to patients, providers, employees, or the general public. Planned activities include free community screenings, dissemination of educational resources, medical staff trainings, employee brown bag lunches, a Twitter chat, and more. A complete list of participants and activities is available here.
The Measure Up/Pressure Down® National Day of Action: Roll Up Your Sleeves! event is held in conjunction with National High Blood Pressure Education Month, recognized annually in May.
“We applaud our AMGA members and the participating community organizations for their commitment to high blood pressure management on the National Day of Action and throughout the entire year,” says Donald W. Fisher, Ph.D., CAE, president and chief executive officer of AMGA and secretary of the board of AMGA Foundation. “This observance is an important opportunity to collaborate and inspire action across the nation. In our first two years, we reached over 141.7 million Americans and look to impact even more people in 2016.”
High blood pressure (hypertension) is one of our nation's most significant health issues. An estimated one in three (68 million) adult Americans have the disease, often referred to as the silent killer. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to heart disease, stroke, heart attack, kidney disease, and other serious health problems.
Led by AMGA Foundation, Measure Up/Pressure Down® is a three-year campaign to improve high blood pressure prevention, detection, and control. To date, the campaign has improved hypertension detection and control for over half a million patients. Though Measure Up/Pressure Down® officially concluded on December 31, 2015, certain activities will continue in 2016.
The campaign also brings together national partners and sponsor organizations to work collectively to improve high blood pressure awareness, detection, and control. Campaign partners and sponsors include: Aetna, American Heart Association, American Kidney Fund, American Society of Hypertension, American Stroke Association, Association of Black Cardiologists, Baptist Medical Group, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., District of Columbia Department of Health, Epic, HealthyWomen, Humedica, Institute for Health and Productivity Management, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Kaiser Permanente National Community Benefit Fund at the East Bay Community Foundation, Men's Health Network, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Million Hearts® initiative, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, Ralphs, Right Care, United Health Foundation, Withings, and WomenHeart.
For more information about the campaign and the Measure Up/Pressure Down® National Day of Action: Roll Up Your Sleeves! event, visit www.MeasureUpPressureDown.com.# # #
About the Measure Up/Pressure Down® National Day of Action: Roll Up Your Sleeves!The Measure Up/Pressure Down® National Day of Action: Roll Up Your Sleeves! is an annual event during which campaign supporters join together in their respective communities and participate in at least one “action” to raise awareness of high blood pressure – to patients, providers, employees, or the general public. A complete list of this year’s participants and activities is available here.
About the Measure Up/Pressure Down® Campaign AMGA Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the AMGA, 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. The goal of the three-year campaign is to have 80 percent of high blood pressure patients in control of their condition. To date, the campaign has improved hypertension detection and control for over half a million patients. Though Measure Up/Pressure Down® officially concluded on December 31, 2015, certain activities will continue in 2016.
Measure Up/Pressure Down® includes nearly 150 medical groups and health systems such as Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, and Geisinger Health System. 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. www.MeasureUpPressureDown.com.
About AMGA FoundationThe AMGA Foundation is AMGA’s nonprofit arm that enables medical groups and other organized systems of care to consistently improve health and health care. The AMGA Foundation serves as a catalyst, connector, and collaborator for translating the evidence of what works best in improving health and health care in everyday practice. www.amga.org/foundationAbout AMGAAMGA 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. Approximately 177,000 physicians practice in AMGA member organizations, providing healthcare services for 133 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
RSS