The Virginia Cardiovascular Health Program

The Virginia Cardiovascular Health Program supports system enhancements to track blood pressure testing and outcomes at 17 community health centers by developing a database and supporting data entry for high blood pressure patient chart reviews. Patients previously diagnosed with high blood pressure were the focus of the chart reviews. Based on the clinical guidelines adapted from the Sixth Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC VI), the chart reviews determine whether physicians are adhering to the guidelines for treating patients and whether their high blood pressure is under control.

The goal of this program is to improve blood pressure monitoring and treatment.

The Virginia Cardiovascular Health Program provides training for community health center practitioners and staff. The training sessions focus on implementing the guidelines for prevention, treatment, and control of high blood pressure. In addition to the training, the Virginia Cardiovascular Health Program is developing a video to be distributed to community health centers for on-site training to improve practitioners' ability to take accurate blood pressure measurements.