Bryan Health Recognized for Blood Pressure Initiatives

Bryan Health entities have been recognized both locally and nationally for their system-wide effort to control high blood pressure in the patients they serve.  

“Controlling blood pressure saves lives,” said Dr. John Trapp, chief medical officer, Bryan Health. “It’s important we measure each patient’s blood pressure accurately so our clinicians can optimally manage the diagnosis of hypertension, which contributes directly to a patient’s risk for heart attack, stroke, organ failure and even death.” 

Target: BP Award (American Heart Association)

Nationally, multiple entities from Bryan Heath were recognized with the Target: BP Award from the American Heart Association and American Medical Association. The honor recognizes health care organizations across the country for their efforts to prioritize control of their patients’ blood pressure. Bryan Heart, Bryan Physician Network, Crete Area Medical Center and Merrick Medical Center all achieved Gold+ status, which requires blood pressure control rates of greater than or equal to 70 percent.

Quest for Excellence Award (Nebraska Hospital Association)

Locally, Bryan Health earned the Nebraska Hospital Association’s Quest for Excellence Award. This award recognizes Nebraska hospitals for their efforts to improve quality and patient care. This year’s focus centered on controlling high blood pressure. Bryan saw a significant change, improving from a baseline blood pressure control rate of 66 percent in 2021 to 77 percent in August 2023.

System-wide Focus

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the most prevalent and modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly half of adults in the country are defined as having high blood pressure. In 2021, the condition was a primary or contributing cause of death in nearly 700,000 people. In Nebraska, one in four people have high blood pressure.

“Through a system-wide focus on process improvement, our Bryan Performance Excellence team worked with our clinicians and clinic leaders to redesign our processes to more accurately measure hypertension,” Trapp added. “This allows us to react more quickly to control high blood pressure, which ultimately improves the lives of our patients.”