Million Hearts Goals Using the Community Prevention Services Task Force Recommendations: A Focus on Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease
The National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention (National Forum), a multi-stakeholder group of organizations, collaborates with national groups to promote detection, treatment and control of hypertension. The National Forum teamed up with the American Heart Association (AHA) to inform groups on recommended strategies that can improve the ability of public health professional and clinical practitioners to address hypertension, high blood cholesterol and tobacco use in their community.
The National Forum organized a conversational session between a member of the U.S. Community Preventive Services Task Force, which releases recommendations through the Community Guide, and a public health expert that has implemented these recommendations at the state and local level.
Speakers:
John M. Clymer, Member, U.S. Community Preventive Services Task Force
Philip Huang, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Austin-Travis County Health and Human Services
2014 Webinar Slide Deck
2014 Webinar Recording
Main points presented:
- Using evidence-based or best practices should be used when choosing interventions that will achieve results.
- The Community Preventive Services Task Force is an independent, non-compensated panel of public health and prevention experts appointed by the CDC. The Task Force conducts systematic reviews on the most pressing public health priorities and releases recommendations for policies and practices in The Community Guide. Million Hearts features the Community Guide recommendations as important strategies in addressing heart disease and stroke.
- The recommendations featured today are 1)Team Based Care; 2) Reducing Patient Out-of-Pocket Costs for medications to control high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol; 3) Clinical Decision Support Systems for CVD prevention; 4) Reducing Out-of-Pocket Costs for Evidence based Tobacco Cessation Treatments – Including Use of QuitLines.
- Austin Travis County Health and Human Services Department has included the use of evidence-based and best practices for as a part of their strategic plan. They have successfully worked to reduce CVD risk factors by collaborating with clinicians and clinical groups (indigent care clinics, UT School of Pharmacy) by implementing team based care, clinical decisions support systems and the Quitline.