Forming Cardi-OH: A Statewide Collaborative to Improve Cardiovascular Health in Ohio.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Cardiovascular Medicine

Background:

• Cardiovascular risk factor control is difficult, particularly in underserved communities.
• Limited statewide initiatives exist to address these disparities.
• A novel approach is needed to improve cardiovascular health across populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the formation of a unique statewide cardiovascular health collaborative.
• To provide a model for replicating similar initiatives in other regions.
• To enhance primary care capacity for cardiovascular health improvement.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a collective impact model funded by the Ohio Department of Medicaid.
• Linked seven Ohio medical schools, statewide primary care clinics, the Ohio Department of Medicaid, and Medicaid Managed Care Plans.
• Established a statewide health improvement collaborative focused on cardiovascular health.

Main Results:

• Dissemination activities included virtual case-based learning on hypertension and social determinants of health.
• Provided website resources, a monthly newsletter, webinars, and in-person conferences.
• Aligned with a separate hypertension quality improvement project for integrated implementation.

Conclusions:

• The collective impact model effectively facilitates statewide collaboratives for evidence-based practice dissemination.
• Collaborations uniting payers, clinicians, and academic partners can significantly improve cardiovascular health.
• This approach holds potential for reducing health disparities in cardiovascular disease management.