Spotlight: Lee Health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is thrilled to recognize Lee Health as a Million Hearts^® Health System.

Lee Health is one of the largest nonprofit safety net health systems in Florida, with four acute care and two specialty hospitals, as well as several outpatient centers and ambulatory clinics. It is being recognized as a Million Hearts^® Health System for its work to address hypertension in pregnancy, expand cardiac rehabilitation, and increase access to care for the rural patients.

Strategies for Success

Addressing Hypertension in Pregnancy

In a 12-month period, Lee Health enrolled 765 women in a high-risk obstetric Remote Patient Monitoring Program. The pilot program initially focused on Black women and has since expanded to serve all women with history of hypertension, gestational hypertension or pre-eclampsia, or postpartum hypertension. Lee Health has built a dedicated referral pathway into its electronic health record system that makes it easier to refer patients to the program. Health care professionals monitor the system virtually.

In addition to the new program, Lee Health has a hypertension and pre-eclampsia care protocol for both inpatient and outpatient obstetric patients. When pregnant and immediately postpartum women present for care, the protocol prompts assessment for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Widespread support of self-measured blood pressure monitoring also helps close gaps in care as women transition their care throughout pregnancy and postpartum.

Promoting Cardiac Rehabilitation

Lee Health had a cardiac rehabilitation referral rate of 72% among eligible patients in 2023, and nearly 60% of those referred attended their first session of the program. To make it easier for patients to start and continue rehab, especially in rural settings, Lee Health is developing a hybrid program that includes virtual sessions. This program is expected to launch later in 2025.

Focusing on Priority Populations

In addition to their work with pregnant and postpartum women, Lee Health prioritizes other Million Hearts^® populations of focus, including people who live in rural areas and people with behavioral health issues who use tobacco.