AHA and Philadelphia FIGHT Partner to Improve Hypertension Control

Since 1990, Philadelphia FIGHT Community Health Centers has been providing culturally competent comprehensive primary care, and state-of-the-art HIV primary care to low-income members of the community. Additionally, Philadelphia FIGHT provides research, consumer education, advocacy, social services, and outreach to people living with HIV and those who are at high risk, (family members, communities with high rates of HIV, formerly incarcerated persons, young people), and access to the most advanced clinical research in HIV treatment and prevention. Philadelphia FIGHT serves more than 4,200 adult patients monthly.

The American Heart Association (AHA) Greater Philadelphia Region has partnered with Philadelphia FIGHT to support initiatives to improve blood pressure control. Since 2018, Philadelphia FIGHT has participated in the Target: BP program, a national initiative formed by the AHA and the American Medical Association (AMA) in response to the high prevalence of uncontrolled blood pressure (BP). Target: BP helps health care organizations and care teams, at no cost, improve BP control rates through an evidence-based quality improvement program and recognizes organizations committed to improving BP control.

Philadelphia FIGHT participates in Target: BP as well as Check.Change.Control Cholesterol. This national initiative aims to reduce the number of Americans who have heart attacks and strokes by urging medical practices, health service organizations, and patients to screen and treat this important risk factor. The AHA local team is supporting Philadelphia FIGHT to achieve recognition in these quality improvement programs.