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Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Earns National Recognition for Efforts Aimed at Reducing Heart Attacks and Strokes

American Heart Association and American Medical Association announce inaugural list of physician practices and health systems receiving a Target: BP™ award for their commitment to prioritize blood pressure control within the communities they serve.

Houston (February 19, 2018) – The American Heart Association (AHA) and American Medical Association (AMA) have announced the names of 310 physician practices and health systems nationwide being recognized for their commitment to reducing the number of Americans who have heart attacks and strokes each year. Kelsey-Seybold Clinic is among this group of first-time recipients of the AHA and AMA’s Target: BP Recognition Program awards and is the largest group in Houston to receive this recognition. Launched in 2017, the Target: BP Recognition Program is an extension of Target: BP™—a national initiative between the AHA and AMA aimed at addressing the growing burden of high blood pressure in the U.S. More than 1,100 physician practices and health systems nationwide—including Kelsey-Seybold Clinic—have joined Target: BP™, sharing a common goal to reduce the number of adult patients with uncontrolled blood pressure and improve health outcomes associated with heart disease.

Of the 103 million Americans with high blood pressure, only about half are within a range that is considered controlled, even though high blood pressure can often be managed effectively when patients work with their physician to create and follow a treatment plan. No single risk factor has more impact on the nation’s death rate from cardiovascular disease than blood pressure.

Kelsey-Seybold Earns National Recognition For Efforts Aimed At Reducing Heart Attacks And Strokes

 

“Physicians at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic are laser-focused on improving health outcomes for our patients with chronic conditions – we believe that management of conditions like high blood pressure is key in helping patients live healthier lives and when patients are healthier or in better control of their chronic conditions, we can help lower the total cost of care” said Patrick Carter, M.D., Medical Director for Care Coordination and Quality Improvement at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. “Receiving the Target: BP recognition serves as proof that when doctors and patients work together, health outcomes improve.”

To help physician practices and health systems achieve their goals, Target: BP™ provides all participants with a dedicated website featuring a free, evidence-based improvement program that includes tools and resources to help clinicians improve blood pressure control rates. To facilitate easy and seamless adoption of the Target: BP™ Improvement Program, registrants have access to trained support specialists within their community who can help identify specific program components to incorporate into clinical practice.

“While high blood pressure is an easy condition to treat in that we have the tools to do so, there are many variables and barriers to success for many patients,” said AMA President David O. Barbe, M.D. “The AHA and AMA developed and piloted the Target: BP program to help bring patients and health care providers together to successfully get blood pressure under control, and help patients keep it controlled. We applaud the providers who are already working hard to control their patients’ blood pressure, and we will continue to urge more physician practices, health systems and patients to join this effort to prioritize blood pressure control and increase the national control of blood pressure. Together, we can save many more lives and improve health outcomes nationwide.”

“We’re excited to bring Target: BP to physicians as a tool to help reduce the devastating impact of high blood pressure in terms of heart disease and stroke, and we’re proud to recognize practices that are joining us to increase focus on blood pressure control,” said AHA President John Warner, M.D.

“Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, along with all other practices being recognized, was honored during the AHA’s annual Scientific Sessions conference, and will also be featured in upcoming Target: BP materials. This includes appearing in print ads, on TargetBP.org, and the Target: BP Wall of Recognition that will be displayed at AMA and AHA events throughout the year.”

About American Heart Month

American Heart Month, a federally designated event, is an ideal time to remind Americans to focus on their hearts and encourage them to get their families, friends and communities involved. The first American Heart Month, which took place in February 1964, was proclaimed by President Lyndon B. Johnson via Proclamation 3566 on December 30, 1963. Using the 2017 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults, 45.6 percent of US adults have hypertension.

About Kelsey-Seybold

Kelsey-Seybold Clinic is Houston's premier multispecialty group practice, founded in 1949 by Dr. Mavis Kelsey in Houston's renowned Texas Medical Center. More than 850 physicians and allied health professionals practice at 40 locations in the Greater Houston area. Kelsey-Seybold offers quality medical care in 65+ medical specialties. The organization operates the largest freestanding Ambulatory Surgery Center in the state of Texas and offers state-of-the-art Varian TrueBeam and Varian Edge radiation therapy technology at a nationally accredited Cancer Center. An accredited Sleep Center, comprehensive laboratory services, advanced imaging and diagnostics, 24 onsite Kelsey pharmacies and one specialty pharmacy, and MyKelseyOnline, a secure web portal, are part of its comprehensive offerings. Kelsey-Seybold partners with major insurers to offer value-based commercial health plans. KelseyCare Advantage, a Medicare Advantage plan offered to Houston-area beneficiaries and affiliated with Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, has achieved the coveted 5-out-of-5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid for eight consecutive years.

Kelsey-Seybold has been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as the nation’s first accredited Accountable Care Organization and is home to a nationally accredited Breast Diagnostic Center and Endoscopy Center.

Kelsey-Seybold Clinic achieved a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 91. NPS is the global standard for measuring customer loyalty and satisfaction. An NPS score of 70 or higher is considered by industry experts to be "world class" and an indicator of overwhelming customer loyalty.

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