National Forum For Heart Disease

THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION IS TO SPARK AND LEAD COLLABORATIVE ACTION TO ACHEIVE HEALTH EQUITY AND OPTIMIZE CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING THROUGHOUT THE LIFESPAN.

THE NATIONAL FORUM'S MOVE WITH THE MAYOR (MWTM)INITIATIVE ENGAGED MAYORS ACROSS THE US IN ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO WALK AND MOVE MORE; DEPLOYED THE ROADMAP ASSESSMENT TOOL TO MEASURE CITIES' PROGRESS IN ANSWERING THE SURGEON GENERAL'S CALL TO ACTION TO PROMOTE WALKING AND WALKABLE COMMUNITIES, AND PROVIDED MAYORS WITH LOCAL POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH. IN ADDITION, MAYORS AND MEDIA PERSONALITIES PROMPTED BY THE NATIONAL FORUM USED TRADITIONAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO URGE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND OTHERS TO GET THEIR HEART HEALTH CHECKED AND TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT IT, INCLUDING GETTING TREATED WHEN NEEDED. THE MWTM VACCINATION INITIATIVE MOBILIZES MAYORS TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH AND TO MAKE THEIR COMMUNITIES MORE ACTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE BY ENCOURAGING ADULT VACCINATIONS. MAYORS ARE USING MWTM MESSAGING, POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, AND OTHER TOOLS TO EMPOWER AND PROTECT COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM COVID-19 AND IMPROVE CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH AND HEALTH EQUITY.

HOSTED MID-YEAR MEMBER VIRTUAL MEETING ON ANSWERING THE SURGEON GENERAL'S CALL TO ACTION TO CONTROL HYPERTENSION. 226 HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, PATIENT ADVOCATED, PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTITIONERS, RESEARCHERS, POLICYMAKERS, AND INDUSTRY LEADERS FROM 160 ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATED. HELD 19TH ANNUAL MEETING, REAHING FOR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH EQUITY:INVESTING WHERE IT MATTERS, AND RELEASED THE 5TH SIGNATURE REPORT, THE COVID-19 AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE - TWO PANDEMICS: COLLISION AND CHAIN REACTION, SPARKED CALLS IN CARDIOLOGY AND THE WALL ST JOURNAL FOR ACTION TO PREVENT COVID-19, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, AND HEALTH DISPARITIES.

MANY AMERICANS LIVING WITH CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE FACE BARRIERS TO GETTING TREATMENT THAT IS RIGHT FOR THEM. THE NATIONAL FORUM ENGAGES 32 DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS IN A TRANSFORMATIVE, CONSENSUS-BUILDING INITIATIVE TO OVERCOME THE BARRIERS. TOGETHER, THE VALUE AND ACCESS COLLABORATION IS BREAKING THE STALEMATE, IMPROVING ACCESS TO EVIDENCE-BASED CARE, AND UNIFYING PATIENT, PROVIDER, PURCHASER, PAYERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH GROUPS ON VALUE AND ACCESS POLICY ISSUES. THE VAC CALLED ON CONGRESS AND THE WHITE HOUSE TO IMPLEMENT POLICIES THAT EXPAND ACCESS TO CARE OPTIONS FOR PATIENTS NATIONWIDE, ESPECIALLY IN UNDESERVED OR OTHERWISE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. THIS BUILDS ON A JOINT POLICY STATEMENT ISSUED BY MEMBERS AND PARTNERS OF THE VAC, WITH RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ENABLE PEOPLE TO OBTAIN MORE HEALTHCARE SERVICES FROM PHARMACISTS, OFTEN CLOSER TO WHERE PEOPLE LIVE OR WORK, IMPROVING ACCESS TO EVIDENCE-BASED CARE, PARTICULARLY FOR UNDESERVED POPULATIONS. THE DEPT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ISSUED THREE EMERGENCY POLICY CHANGES. IN ADDITION, THE NATIONAL FORUM CONVENED PATIENT, PROVIDER, AND PUBLIC HEALTH GROUPS AND LED THE DEVELOPMENT OF JOINT INPUT ON VALUE FRAMEWORKS AND COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS.