The Gold Plus achievement award recognizes practices that have demonstrated evidence-based practices for BP measurement and treatment and in which high blood pressure is controlled in 70% of more of the affected adult patients.

“Addressing blood pressure management is key for better cardiovascular health – and critical today, when heart disease and stroke continue to be leading causes of death for adults in the U.S.,” said John Szawaluk, MD, cardiologist and Medical Director of the Resistant Hypertension Clinic at The Christ Hospital Health Network. “High blood pressure is a leading risk factor of heart disease and stroke that can often be prevented or managed if diagnosed and treated properly.”

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a leading risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and preventable death in the U.S. There are 122.4 million U.S. adults living with hypertension. That is nearly half of all adults in the country. Unfortunately, just a quarter of them have their BP under control, making both diagnosis and effective management critical. In the U.S., heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death, respectively, and stroke is a leading cause of disability.

“By committing to helping more people in Greater Cincinnati control their blood pressure and reduce their risks for future heart disease and stroke, The Christ Hospital Health Network is taking a key step to helping more people live longer, healthier lives,” said Wanpen Vongpatanasin, MD, volunteer member of the Target: BP Advisory Group and liaison to the American Heart Association Hypertension Council. “The Christ Hospital’s participation in the Target: BP initiative shows its dedication to turning clinical guidelines into lifelines for patients and their families.”

Target: BP is a national initiative formed by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association in response to the high prevalence of uncontrolled blood pressure. The initiative aims to help health care organizations and care teams, at no cost, improve blood pressure control rates through an evidence-based quality improvement program and recognizes organizations, like The Christ Hospital Health Network, that are committed to improving blood pressure control. Learn more at TargetBP.org.

About The Christ Hospital Health Network

The Christ Hospital Health Network consists of an acute care hospital located in Mt. Auburn, a remote hospital location in Liberty Township, five ambulatory outpatient centers and dozens of medical offices throughout the region. For more than 135 years, The Christ Hospital has provided compassionate care to those it serves. Made up of more than 1,300 physicians and 7,200 team members, our mission is to improve the health of our community by providing exceptional outcomes in an affordable way. The Network was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the #1 hospital in the Cincinnati Region and named to Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals list in 2025.

About Target: BPTM

Target: BP™ is a national initiative formed by the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association in response to the high prevalence of uncontrolled blood pressure. 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.