Introducing Penn Medicine Healthy Heart: A Personal Companion to Heart Health
Penn Medicine News
From Penn Medicine News:
Heart disease is the top cause of illness and death in the U.S. Penn Medicine Healthy Heart (PMHH) is a vital part of a comprehensive effort to combat heart disease, the ASCVD (atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease) Risk Reduction Initiative. This six-month text-messaging based program will soon be available to around 2,000 primary care patients in Philadelphia and Lancaster Counties, as part of a clinical trial.
The mission is to help patients to lower their risk of heart disease by managing their blood pressure and cholesterol levels from the comfort of their homes. Using tools like remote blood pressure monitoring, cholesterol counseling, medication management, personalized healthy eating resources, and smoking cessation support delivered via text, phone, and video, the goal is to make the expertise of Penn Medicine care staff more accessible.
PMHH was developed after two years of rigorous pilot testing in collaboration with specialists, primary care providers (PCPs), and patients across Penn Medicine. The program aims to provide easier access to patient care in between office visits to reduce patients’ risk of heart disease. Marguerite Balasta, MD, medical director of PMHH, and Kevin Volpp, MD, PhD, the principal investigator of PMHH and director of the Penn Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, explained how the program works and who is eligible.