In the 13th scope of work, the Midwest Quality Innovation Organization-Quality Improvement Network (Midwest QIN-QIO) focuses on quality improvement across many healthcare areas in hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient clinics.
In this scope of work, one of Midwest QIN-QIO’s objectives is to positively impact Medicare beneficiary morbidity and mortality through improved prevention and chronic disease management in certain priority areas such as Prevention and Chronic Disease Management.
With February being American Heart Health month, now is a good time to look at how we help with heart health as a part of our Prevention and Chronic Disease Management work.
How we help
Midwest QIN-QIO works with Hypertension. Hypertension is a strong risk factor for mortality from cardiovascular disease, including stroke and coronary heart disease. Proper intervention and self- management decrease the risk of serious complications and death.
Our work emphasizes Obesity Management, Nutrition, and Physical Activity. Patients who are overweight and obese are at higher risk of developing chronic medical conditions such as Type II diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), heart disease, strokes, kidney disease, musculoskeletal conditions and various cancers. Weight loss for these patients is also vital to the management of many existing chronic diseases. For these reasons, it is crucial that patients who are determined to be overweight or obese receive individual-specific counseling about their health risks and clinical management through evidence-based guidelines on exercise, diet and potential pharmacological therapy. Weight loss goals and progress should be monitored and documented in follow-up examinations or as part of shorter evaluations like in-office blood pressure checks.
As a result of the QIN-QIO Task Order, beneficiaries will experience prevention of and improved control of hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, including education about access to home dialysis and transplants. This will reduce the incidence of strokes, heart attacks, hospitalizations, amputations, reduce the number of beneficiaries who require dialysis each year, and improve patient choice in kidney care.
Heart Disease in America Statistics
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), heart disease in the United States is very common.
The CDC says that heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups. In 2023, nearly one in four deaths in the United States were caused by heart disease.
According to the CDC, high blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, putting them at risk for heart disease and stroke. Only one in four people in the U.S. with high blood pressure has it under control.
Heart disease can be costly according to the CDC. The CDC says the cost of health care services and medications from heart disease to more than 168 billion dollars between 2021 and 2022.
Resource we have to help your health care setting
To contact our Prevention and Chronic Disease Management experts or to see Prevention and Chronic Disease Management resources, visit our Prevention and Chronic Disease Management page on midwestcmsqinqio.com.