FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2022
Contact:
John M. Clymer
Executive Director
202-903-7303
To reverse the rise in people missing routine medical care, the National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention and 18 other organizations are launching a campaign to urge people to see their healthcare team in 2022 and “know your numbers.” The first of eight video messages will launch today on social media platforms.
The campaign begins with a video in which Sharonne Hayes, MD, founder of the Women’s Heart Clinic at Mayo Clinic, encourages viewers to visit their healthcare team and learn their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels. Knowing these numbers will highlight steps patients can take to improve and maintain their health this year. The video with Dr. Hayes will be followed by messages featuring Keith C. Ferdinand, MD, Tulane University School of Medicine, patients, a nurse, and a pharmacist.
“This campaign addresses an urgent crisis that has been largely overlooked in the shadow of the pandemic,” said Warren A. Jones, MD, Chair of the National Forum. “In cities, towns, and rural America, people are suffering declining health and dying preventable deaths because they haven’t gotten to their healthcare providers.”
Even before COVID-19, nearly 1 in 3 Americans did not seek needed medical care[1] and the number rose during the pandemic to 41% of U.S. adults[2]. The missed care has led to millions of excess deaths and worsening of treatable conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease.
Eighteen organizations are collaborating with the National Forum to promote the messages. They include:
- Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc.
- American College of Cardiology
- American Medical Groups Association
- American Medical Women’s Association
- American Pharmacists Association
- Association of Public Health Nurses
- American Society of Preventive Cardiology
- Family Heart Foundation
- Iowa Heart Center Foundation
- Mayo Clinic
- Mended Hearts
- Million Hearts
- National Association of Chronic Disease Directors
- National Association of County and City Health Officials
- Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association
- The Ohio State University Office of the Chief Wellness Officer
- WomenHeart
The campaign will run in February and March 2022 on social media platforms.
The National Forum is a tax-exempt non-profit 501 organization, which represents more than 100 national and international organizations from the public and private healthcare organizations, and from faith, advocacy, academic and policy organizations, which leads and provides a forum for collaborative action in the field of cardiovascular health.
1 Henry, TA. (February 15, 2021). Why 41% of patients have skipped care during COVID-19 pandemic. American Medical Association. https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/why-41-patients-have-skippedcare-during-covid-19-pandemic
2 Borksy, A., et al. (2018). Few Americans Receive All High-Priority, Appropriate Clinical Preventive Services. Health Affairs, 37(6). DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2017.1248