Innovations
These innovations and progress notes highlight successes and best practices in heart disease and stroke by Million Hearts® and partner organizations. They have been selected due to their effectiveness, how easily they can be replicated, and their inclusion of lessons learned.
Million Hearts® Innovation Competition
Co-sponsored by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), the Million Hearts® Innovation Competition to Prevent Heart Attacks and Strokes provides funding to organizations that are implementing life-saving prevention strategies.
The competition seeks to fund organizations with innovative strategies aligned with the Million Hearts® 2022 goals and priority populations. Proposals are due November 24, 2020.
Read more about the competition and RFP details pdf icon[PDF – 258 KB]external icon
Million Hearts® Epi-Exchange
Although medication is an effective treatment option to control high blood pressure, medication adherence—a person’s ability to continue using their medications as prescribed by their doctor—is a challenge. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have teamed up to discuss how to improve blood pressure medication adherence.
Million Hearts®: Scaling and Spreading Innovation—Strategies to Improve Cardiovascular Health
The Million Hearts® Scaling and Spreading Innovation event was a collaboration among the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the American Heart Association. The event was designed to inspire creative thinking about successful community interventions for better cardiovascular health.
Heart 360
This pharmacist-led, home blood pressure monitoring program asked participants to upload their home blood pressure measurements 3–4 times a week to the American Heart Association’s Heart360 website.
Disease Management to Promote Blood Pressure Control Among African Americans
A team at Aetna set out to determine whether telephonic nurse disease management was more effective than a home monitoring program for African American patients.
Medication Therapy Management
The American Pharmacists Association Foundation’s Asheville Project created a community-based medication therapy management program in North Carolina for patients with hypertension and high cholesterol.
Language Concordant Health Coaches
Coaches in San Francisco worked with residents to improve self-management skills and quality of care for patients who had limited English proficiency and health literacy.
Public Health Grand Rounds
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hosts Public Health Grand Rounds each month via webcast to foster discussion on major public health issues. Each session focuses on key challenges related to a specific health topic and explores cutting-edge scientific evidence and potential impact of different interventions. The sessions also highlight how CDC and its partners are already addressing these challenges and discuss the recommendations for future research and practice.
Mind Your Risks and Act FAST to Prevent and Treat Strokes
On May 17, 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hosted a Public Health Grand Rounds on the importance of identifying and reducing stroke risks and improving the quality of stroke care and treatment.
Hypertension: Detect, Connect, Control
On May 21, 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hosted a Public Health Grand Rounds session about the importance of high blood pressure control.
Preventing A Million Heart Attacks and Strokes: A Turning Point for Impact
On September 8, 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hosted a Public Health Grand Rounds session to feature some of the Million Hearts® progress that has been made.
Webinars
These online events hosted or supported by Million Hearts® and its partners help practitioners and professionals stay up-to-date on the latest innovations in the field, from hypertension control using standardized treatment protocols to reducing sodium and addressing health disparities in heart disease and stroke.
Hypertension Control Protocol Learning Collaborative
In this October 2015 webinar, learn more about the Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Protocol Learning Collaborative and “Technology Integration Strategies to Incorporate Hypertension Protocols into Electronic Health Records.”
In this April 2015 webinar, learn more about the Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Protocol Learning Collaborative and “Using a Systems-Based Approach to Hypertension Control: How Protocols Can Help You Achieve Better Outcomes.”
Reducing Sodium in Home Delivered and Congregate Meals
On May 2, 2014, the National Resource Center for Nutrition & Aging hosted this webinar about the importance of sodium reduction in meals served to older adults.
Nurse Practitioners and Million Hearts®
On September 11, 2013, Million Hearts® hosted this webinar to show how nurse practitioners are achieving excellence in detecting and controlling hypertension using proven strategies and engaging in patient and family-centered care.
Maryland Works with Partners to Support Million Hearts®
On June 19, 2013, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials hosted a webinar to highlight how Maryland is working to support Million Hearts®.
State of Men’s Heart Health
On June 3, 2013, in celebration of Men’s Health Month, Million Hearts® and the Men’s Health Network hosted the State of Men’s Heart Health webinar to discuss effective tools and strategies for involving men in improving their own heart health.
Promising Practices: Blood Pressure Control in Clinical Settings
On December 4, 2012, Million Hearts® sponsored an event to highlight promising practices for blood pressure control in clinical settings.
- Read the transcript pdf icon[PDF – 191 KB]
- Download the slides pdf icon[PDF – 10.6 MB]
- Listen to an audio recording media icon[MP3 – 19.4 MB]
Promising Practices: Minority Health
On September 13, 2012, Million Hearts® sponsored an event to discuss the importance of cardiovascular health and community approaches to addressing health disparities.
- Read the transcript pdf icon[PDF – 213 KB]
- Download the slides pdf icon[PDF – 8.6 MB]
- Listen to an audio recording media icon[MP3 – 27 MB]
Administration on Aging and the Affordable Care Act
On February 28, 2012, the Administration on Aging hosted a webinar focused on Million Hearts® and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (also known as the Affordable Care Act) and its impact on the aging network.
Progress Notes
Blood Pressure Control and Cholesterol Management
The Asheville Project—Medication Therapy Management
Asheville, North Carolina, implemented a community-based medication therapy management program for high blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides to benefit 12,000 employees of the city and a local hospital system.
Innovation
Employer support for regular blood pressure and cholesterol consultations with a pharmacist as well as drug copayment reductions and waivers.
Improvement
Employees experienced fewer cardiovascular-related events, had lower medical expenses, and achieved blood pressure and cholesterol goals.
Blood Pressure Control
HealthPartners Minnesota
HealthPartners established measurable goals for reducing heart attacks and controlling risk factors for members, and it created a registry of at-risk patients for diabetes or heart disease.
Innovation
Education, counseling, and periodic consultation with nurses as a way to target high blood pressure and cholesterol control.
Improvement
Participants receiving optimal care increased by half, fewer participants went to the hospital, and the program saved money.
Smoking Cessation
New York Hotel Trades Council and Hotel Association of NYC Inc., Employee Benefits Funds
In October 2011, the Funds’ health centers became a part of Health eQuits, a smoking cessation intervention program launched by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Innovation
A multidisciplinary approach to increase smoking cessation intervention rates among documented smokers.
Improvement
Smoking cessation rates for those who visited the Funds health centers more than tripled.
Blood Pressure Control
Georgia Stroke and Heart Attack Prevention Program
SHAPP, a program for low-income or uninsured Georgia residents, offered enrolled clients a selection of hypertension medications and services at low or no cost.
Innovation
Low-cost medication, tracking appointments and progress, and providing long-term disease management.
Improvement
The percentage of residents with blood pressure under control increased, and the program was less costly than either no preventive care or usual care.
Sodium Reduction
Schenectady County, NY
The Glendale Nursing Home in Schenectady evaluated each meal provided to their residents to determine a baseline nutritional analysis. They then implemented strategies to reduce sodium.
Innovation
Reduced sodium across the entire menu, including 105 separate meals.
Improvement
Average sodium per meal decreased from 1,270 milligrams to 1,146 milligrams.
Blood Pressure Control and Cholesterol Management
Kaiser Permanente Colorado
The Kaiser Permanente Colorado High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Management Program established patient registries and outreach lists to manage the care of all patients with high blood pressure and cholesterol.
Innovation
Patient registries, education and at-home monitoring, and incentives for successful high blood pressure and cholesterol management.
Improvement
The program prevented an estimated 135 deaths and 260 costly emergency interventions each year.
Blood Pressure Control
MyGroupHealth—A Patient Portal in Seattle
The cooperative launched an interactive portal with three key elements: education and training, home monitoring of blood pressure, and consultation with pharmacists to review blood pressure readings and adjust therapy as needed.
Innovation
Portal for patients taking medication for high blood pressure, plus home-based monitoring and access to professional guidance.
Improvement
More than half of patients who received the greatest support achieved blood pressure control.
Health Information Technology
Veterans Health Administration
In less than 3 years—between 1996 and 1999—the Veterans Health Administration completed the largest ever deployment of electronic health records, including designation of a primary care provider for all patients.
Innovation
Overhauled health care system, incorporating electronic health records and placing a priority on primary care.
Improvement
The changes dramatically improved the volume and quality of care, with lower hospital admissions.