The American Heart Association presents multiple awards for implementation of quality care for patients.

Houston, TX (Sept. 30, 2021)— Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, a Houston-based multispecialty clinic system, and KelseyCare Advantage, a 5-star Medicare Advantage plan with coverage throughout the Houston-Galveston region, have each been awarded multiple Gold American Heart Association outpatient program awards in recognition for their commitment to reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke by improving high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, and blood pressure management.

Nearly half of adults in the United States have experienced some form of cardiovascular disease – including heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. Leading risk factors for cardiovascular disease include having high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, and uncontrolled high blood pressure. However, through proper risk factor identification and treatment, heart disease and stroke can be prevented or managed.

"We are all so proud to receive this recognition from the American Heart Association and be awarded the Target Gold Awards for high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, and uncontrolled high blood pressure," said Patrick Carter, M.D., Medical Director for Care Coordination, Quality Improvement, and Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. "Receiving these multiple recognitions demonstrates that the protocols we have in place are working to help patients with high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, and uncontrolled high blood pressure to better manage these chronic diseases and help prevent devastating complications."

To improve quality of care and teach people to better manage their risk factors around high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, and/or blood pressure management, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic participated in:

• Check. Change. Control. Cholesterol™
• Target: Type 2 Diabetes℠
• Target: BP™

While KelseyCare Advantage participated in:

• Check. Change. Control. Cholesterol™
• Target: BP™ 

"Recognition by the American Heart Association for our dedication to patient care validates the importance of what we do to help manage risk factors, which helps to reduce the risk of heart attacks, stroke, and other preventable vascular conditions," said Leon Jerrels, R.N., Director, Quality Improvement, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. "Programs like these that help address the real-world complications of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes are necessary to help improve outcomes for patients."

This year, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic was awarded the following achievement awards:

• Gold: Check. Change. Control. Cholesterol™  
• Gold: Target: Type 2 Diabetes℠
• Gold+ recognition from both the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association (AMA): Target: BP™

And KelseyCare Advantage was awarded the following achievement awards:

• Gold: Check. Change. Control. Cholesterol™ 
• Gold+ recognition from both the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association (AMA): Target: BP™

"Addressing blood pressure management is key for better cardiovascular health – and critical today since heart disease and strokes continue to be a leading cause of death for Americans," James Langabeer II, Ph.D., Ed.D., M.B.A., E.M.T., F.A.H.A., volunteer expert for the American Heart Association and professor and vice chair of Emergency Medicine with the McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). "We are pleased to recognize Kelsey-Seybold Clinic and KelseyCare Advantage for their commitment to managing the risk factors for patients around critical risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes."