Who's Leading the Leading Health Indicators? — Clinical Preventive Services

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Healthypeople.gov: Leading Health Indicators Monthly Bulletin

October 2015

Overview

Cancer, heart disease and stroke, diabetes, and infectious diseases have a substantial impact on the overall health of the Nation. As such, the Healthy People 2020 Clinical Preventive Services Leading Health Indicators cover delivery of health care services for these health conditions. Clinical preventive services can detect disease early when treatment is more effective, or prevent them altogether. These services, such as routine disease screening and scheduled immunizations, play a key role in reducing death and disability and improving the health of the Nation.

Learn More About Clinical Preventive Services

Clinical Preventive Services and the Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act has expanded key recommended clinical preventive services for adults and children to promote health over the life span. A focus on prevention will not only improve the health of Americans, but will also help reduce health care costs and improve quality of care. By improving access to key clinical preventive services, the Affordable Care Act is helping Americans to be healthier and live longer. To learn more about available clinical preventive services under the Affordable Care Act, please visit https://www.healthcare.gov/.

Leading Health Indicators

Leading Health Indicators (LHIs) are critical health issues that—if tackled appropriately—will dramatically reduce the leading causes of death and preventable illnesses. The Clinical Preventive Services LHIs are:

Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going

From 2008 to 2013, the percentage of adults aged 50 to 75 years who had received a colorectal cancer screening based on the most recent guidelines increased 12%, from 52.1% (age adjusted) to 58.2%, moving toward the HP2020 target of 70.5%.

Over the past decade, blood pressure control increased by 55% among adults aged 18 years and over with hypertension, from 31.6% (age adjusted) in 1999–2002 to 48.9% in 2009–12.

Over the Healthy People 2020 tracking period there was no statistically significant change in the rate of poor glycemic control (HbA1c greater than 9%) among adults aged 18 years and over with diagnosed diabetes (18.0% in 2005–08 and 21.0% in 2009­–12, age adjusted).

The percentage of children aged 19 to 35 months who had received the recommended doses of DTaP, polio, MMR, Hib, Hep B, varicella, and PCV vaccines increased 62%, from 44.3% in 2009 to 71.6% in 2014. In 2014, several population groups in specific demographic categories had the highest rates of receiving all recommended vaccinations, including children whose mothers had an advanced degree, those in families with incomes 400–599% of the poverty threshold, and those with private health insurance.

Who’s Leading the Leading Health Indicators?

Increasing the Rates of Patients with Controlled Diabetes in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas

 Through diabetes programs at primary care practices, a diabetes education center, and patient outreach, the Rio Grande Valley Accountable Care Organization Health Providers, LLC (RGV ACO) has been working to increase the number of patients who are successfully controlling their diabetes. RGV ACO’s diabetes initiatives aim to help patients understand their disease, encourage lifestyle changes, employ disease management techniques, and connect patients to additional support when needed. Through these initiatives, RGV ACO has seen an increase in the number of patients who were successfully controlling their diabetes, from 23.29% in 2012 to 49.17% in 2014.

Read the Full Story

Leading Health Indicator Infographic

Clinical Preventive Services

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