by Matt Batcheldor
The Vanderbilt Comprehensive Hypertension Center has been awarded the American Heart Association’s Comprehensive Hypertension Center Certification, to recognize the practice’s commitment to following proven, research-based treatment guidelines to care for people with complex or difficult-to-treat hypertension, or high blood pressure. The center was previously certified by the American Society for Hypertension.
Certified practices must be primarily devoted to patients with hypertension and related disorders, be recognized as referral and treatment resources for resistant and secondary hypertension and have facilities and personnel capable of assessing and evaluating complicated hypertension problems.
Certified Comprehensive Hypertension Centers are recognized as leaders in providing the most up-to-date, effective treatment strategies based on current evidence-based research in hypertension.
The Vanderbilt Comprehensive Hypertension Center underwent a thorough review by American Heart Association quality improvement specialists who evaluated the practice’s policies, procedures and operations to ensure appropriate diagnosis, evaluation and treatment protocols were in place and executed for hypertension patients.
Through this certification program, the American Heart Association aims to improve the outcomes of people with complex or difficult-to-treat hypertension by collaborating with medical practices to implement evidence-based treatment guidelines. The overall goals for the certified Comprehensive Hypertension Center encompass patients, providers and research and training opportunities through an evaluation of the practice against a professional set of criteria based on demonstrated adherence to key standards and rigorous review process.
“The Vanderbilt Hypertension Center has advanced therapy for patients with hypertension since its inception by Dr. John Oates and continues to lead,” said Nancy Brown, MD, Hugh J. Morgan Professor and chair of the Department of Medicine in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
For more information on the American Heart Association accreditation and certification programs, visit www.heart.org/certification.
