Intermountain Health in Nevada Honored As A 2024 Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Champion – First Health System Ever Honored In State
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has designated Intermountain Health in Nevada as a 2024 Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Champion for the health system’s efforts to enhance the health of patients by reducing blood pressure in patients with hypertension.
This is the first time any health system has earned this distinction in Nevada.
"We’re thrilled to earn this important milestone. Intermountain is helping elevate Nevada's quality of healthcare, and this award acknowledges that dedication and impact on our community," said Cara Camiolo, MD, chief medical officer for Intermountain Health in Nevada. "Being the first Nevada Hypertension Control Champion means we can set the standard and continue to raise the bar for essential heart health care."
The Million Hearts Hypertension Control Challenge recognizes clinicians, practices, and health systems that achieve blood pressure control for at least 80 percent of their patients who have hypertension. Intermountain Health is among 31 other health organizations to receive this distinction in 2024 in the United States.
“Being recognized as Nevada’s first CDC’s Million Hearts Hypertension Champion is an incredible honor,” said Kristopher Dalton, Director of Clinical Quality in Nevada. “This achievement underscores our commitment to improving heart health and demonstrates the impactful work we are doing to manage and prevent hypertension in our community. This was truly a team effort across primary care, specialty care, and administrative caregivers. This success spans all patient lines of business, including Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial populations. Together, we are making a lasting difference in the lives of so many of our valley’s residents.
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke, which can result in disability for millions of adults in the United States. Many adults diagnosed with hypertension do not have their condition under control.
“This is an incredible distinction from the CDC,” said Blake Gardner, MD, senior medical director of the cardiovascular clinical program for Intermountain Health. “Being the first to accomplish this in Nevada makes this honor even more remarkable and is a result of our collaborative, multi-care team approach to manage hypertension with our patients in Nevada. We are proud of the outcome as it makes a clear difference in the lives of our community members.”
Intermountain is committed to reducing hypertension and cardiological risks for all patients in primary and specialty care settings.
"Our standard is to do a second blood pressure check on every patient at every visit, not just patients who have an elevated blood pressure when they arrive in clinic,” said Meghan Fitzgibbons, practice director for Intermountain Health in Nevada. “We engage all of our clinical caregivers in this work to ensure every patient gets that recheck before they leave their appointment.”
Additionally, Intermountain recently launched a specialized hypertension clinic in October 2024 (embedded within the Sunset Cardiology Clinic in Las Vegas).
The clinic was started to provide a home for patient focused treatment plans directed by up-to-date guidelines, with a goal to reduce hypertension hospitalizations.
This is the second time Million Hearts has recognized an Intermountain Health clinic as a Hypertension Control Champion. In 2019, the Intermountain Moroni Clinic in Utah received the same recognition.
Multiple southwest Utah clinics have been honored by the Utah Million Hearts Coalition for excellence in blood pressure management and measurement.
About Million Hearts: Million Hearts® is a national initiative, co-led by CDC and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Learn more about Million Hearts Hypertension Control Champions.
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