Million Hearts® in Action Stories
Below is a collection of stories that highlight the work of states, partners, champions and individual survivors to help inspire, share best practices and advance the goals of Million Hearts®
Collaborating for Change
Coordinated actions by public health and healthcare professionals, communities, and healthcare systems can and will keep people healthy, optimize care, and improve outcomes within priority populations. Learn more about how partners have come together to address heart disease and stroke prevention in these Million Hearts® Partner Spotlights.
- Wisconsin’s Green County Moves Business to Leaders to Promote Community Health
- MH Partner Spotlight ASTHO
- Public Health Nurse Association and The Ohio State University: From Collaboration to Community (PDF)
- A Statewide Approach, Missouri Million Hearts® Partnership (PDF)
- MH Rochester High Blood Pressure Collaborative - Center for Community Health and University of Rochester Medical Center (PDF)
- A Collaboration with the Mexican Consulate of New York City - American Heart Association, New York (PDF)
- American Kidney Fund Partner Spotlight (PDF)
- Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association Partner Spotlight (PDF)
- National Association of Chronic Disease Directors Partner Spotlight (PDF)
- National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Move with the Mayor Partner Spotlight (PDF)
- YMCA of the USA Partner Spotlight
- National Association of County and City Health Officials Partner Spotlight
Keeping People Healthy
Many of the major risks for heart disease and stroke can be prevented and controlled through healthy lifestyle changes, such as decreasing sodium consumption, increasing physical activity and avoiding tobacco use. The following stories highlight successful strategies for addressing these behaviors:
Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
- Healthy Nutrition Guidelines, Sodium Reduction – Washington State Department of Health (PDF)
- The Healthy Chinese Take-Out Initiative - Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDF)
- Red heart risks Chicago Area South Asian Community (PDF)
- Heart of the Family (Corazon De La Familia) – Family Health Centers of San Diego (PDF)
- Go Red For Women, BetterU Challenge - American Heart Association, Seattle Division (PDF)
Tobacco Use Prevention
Optimizing Care
This priority includes strategies to improve the ABCS, increase use of cardiac rehabilitation and provide patient and family supports for heart healthy behaviors. Explore success stories in the following strategy areas:
Blood Pressure Control
- CARDI-OH - A statewide Initiative Addressing Hypertension Control in Ohio
- AMA and Trinity Health of New England Measure accurately, Act rapidly, and Partner with Patients, families and Communities
- Improving Blood Pressure Control: Interdisciplinary Teams Are An Effective Clinical Action You Can Take
- Kentucky CARE Collaborative (PDF)
- Know it Control it (PDF)
- Mountain People's Councils (PDF)
- Keeping Everything Under Control, Especially Patient Blood Pressure-Petaluma Health Center (PDF)
- Championing for Hypertension Control at the Data and Team-Driven Thundermist Health Center (PDF)
- 7 Simple Tips to Get an Accurate Blood Pressure Measurement (PDF)
- Aggregating of Clinical Data - Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Mid-Atlantic Association of Community Health Centers (PDF)
- A First State Coalition to Prevent Heart Attack and Stroke, Million Hearts® Delaware (PDF)
- Check.Change.Control. - Allied Pacific of California Senior Wellness Center (PDF)
- Faith Based Community Health Screening - Peoria City County Health Department (PDF)
- Hypertension Care Pathway - Presbyterian Healthcare Services in New Mexico (PDF)
- Hypertension Awareness Day at the North Carolina General Assembly - American Heart Association (PDF)
- Making a Difference in Hypertension Control in Minnesota - ASTHO State (PDF)
- Ten steps for improving BP Control in New Hampshire - ASTHO State (PDF)
- Vermont Learning Collaborative, Vermont State Health Department - ASTHO State (PDF)
- Lifting Spirits and Healing Hypertension in Black Churches (PDF)
- Magnetic reminders about hypertension for health care providers (PDF)
Smoking Cessation
- Expanding Comprehensive Coverage for Tobacco Cessation - North Carolina Division of Public Health, Tobacco Prevention and Control (PDF)
- Georgia Tobacco Quit Line - Georgia Department of Public Health (PDF)
- Smoke Free New Orleans (PDF)
- Better Health in the Big Apple: A Comprehensive, Team-based Approach to Tobacco Cessation (PDF)
Medication Adherence
Personal Stories
Survivors share their experiences with heart attack and stroke and the resulting lifestyle changes they’ve made.- MH Personal Story_Gary Dorr (PDF)
- MH Personal Story_Mark Lantz (PDF)
- A Surprise Attack for a Seemingly Healthy, Active Husband and Father of Two (PDF)
- Shantha Diaz, AHA Volunteer & Chair of the 2016 Southern New England Go Red For Women Campaign (PDF)
- Gail Harris-Berry, Ambassador and You’re the Cure Advocate - American Heart Association (PDF)
- Paula Rice, AHA National Spokeswoman (PDF)
- George Rudis, Cardiac Arrest Survivor (PDF)
- A Young Neighbor’s Stroke Helped 35-year-old Donna Garlough Recognize Her Own (PDF)
