The High Blood Pressure Collaborative Work Group, a partnership of Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency and the Rochester Business Alliance, introduced several efforts June 16, including the launch of a community-wide survey to help develop a public awareness campaign. The survey will provide insight into how much people truly know or understand about hypertension and their attitudes about their ability to manage the disease. In turn, this could help improve high blood pressure care and reduce the "human costs" and the high health care costs associated with the disease.

In addition to the community survey, the collaborative partners also announced:

• All three major hospital systems - Rochester General Health System, Strong Health and Unity Health System - have agreed to collaborate on a quality-improvement initiative. Working with the High Blood Pressure Collaborative, more than 40 primary care practices owned by the hospital systems will enhance their current efforts to identify patients who have high blood pressure and to manage the disease more actively.
• A learning collaborative program in which physicians will share best practices and blood-pressure control strategies. Possible program aspects include presentations by national experts, physician education programs, seminars, and consultations with individual practices.
• A series of free blood pressure screenings will take place throughout the community beginning this summer.

News conference participants included RBA President and CEO Sandra A. Parker, Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks, FLHSA Executive Director Fran Weisberg, Paul S. Speranza Jr., chair of the FLHSA-RBA High Blood Pressure Collaborative, and Wade S. Norwood, director of community engagement at FLHSA, along with collaborative partners and CEOs of companies involved in the effort.

"Controlling high blood pressure is a critical next step in our ultimate goal to make Rochester the healthiest community in the nation," Speranza said. "The pain and suffering caused by hypertension is felt by thousands of adults and their families in our community. Working together, through this exciting FLHSA-RBA partnership and with entire community's energy and support, we can control the devastating effects of this disease, and save lives, by inspiring people to positively and permanently change their lifestyle choices."

Speranza noted that more than 60 volunteers from more than 40 different organizations - from business, health care, labor, government, education, faith-based organizations and human-service agencies - are actively involved in the project.

"The High Blood Pressure Collaborative Work Group is a shining example of our community's commitment to maintaining a high quality of life for our local residents," said County Executive Maggie Brooks. "Through encouraging healthier lifestyles and increasing public awareness on the dangers of high blood pressure, this initiative will result in lower health care costs and most importantly, will save precious lives."

"This project is a community-driven solution to a community-wide health issue, and FLHSA is delighted to be working in partnership with the RBA on this critical effort," Norwood said. "We are asking everyone to take a few minutes to complete this survey because it will be an invaluable resource as we look to target our communications and messaging to ensure that our efforts make an impact. This will be particularly important among people of color, who are disproportionately affected by this disease."

Getting People's Attention About High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure affects approximately one in three people in the Rochester area, and it is twice as prevalent among African Americans and almost 1.5 times more common among Latinos than among whites. Hypertension can lead to more serious and potentially fatal diseases, such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and other chronic conditions. For more facts, click here.

Survey responses will guide development of a communications campaign to raise public awareness about the disease and to provide a call to action for people with high blood pressure. Specifically, the brief online survey will gauge people's:

• Understanding of high blood pressure and its causes
• Knowledge about the other serious medical conditions that can result from uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Understanding of the link between lifestyle choices and high blood pressure
• Primary sources for help and information regarding hypertension
• Preferred media for obtaining information (print, broadcast or online)

At the end of the survey, people have the choice of submitting their answers anonymously or identifying themselves. Those who identify themselves will have the chance to win a $300 Wegmans gift card.

About the FLHSA-RBA High Blood Pressure Collaborative
FLHSA and the RBA entered into a strategic partnership to address community-wide transformational change in health and in health care delivery. Their first major project is the High Blood Pressure Collaborative Work Group, a community-wide initiative to combat hypertension by raising awareness of the disease and by enabling people to take better control over the disease. Leaders from every segment of the community - such as health care, business, labor, government, education, social service and faith-based organizations, and neighborhood groups - are actively engaged in this effort. Individual project teams addressing different aspects of care, from health plan design and best practices, to community awareness and behavior change.