Operation Heart is one of the community outreach patient care projects within the Wisconsin Society of Pharmacy Students (WSPS) that focuses on the role of pharmacists and student pharmacists in cardiovascular care around southern Wisconsin.
Operation Heart focuses on providing blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk assessment screenings as guided by the JNC-8 Blood Pressure Guidelines. In recent years, Operation Heart has also been involved with cholesterol screenings at various health fairs in order to educate patients on their 10-year ASCVD Risk as outlined by the 2013 ACC/AHA Cholesterol Guidelines. Operation Heart also works as a team with the other patient care organizations within WSPS to put on health fairs for community members to target overall health and wellness. Operation Heart is lead by two co-chairs who coordinate the screenings, organize volunteers, and make sure the events run smoothly.
What does a screening consist of?
- Patient signs the consent form and gives permission to the student pharmacist to perform a blood pressure and/or cholesterol check
- Operation Heart screener asks the patient a series of questions pertaining to the patient’s cardiovascular risk
- The patient’s blood pressure and pulse are taken and recorded for the patient to keep if they desire
- Operation Heart screener provides education to the patient about his/her blood pressure and pulse, and where the patient’s numbers fit in relation to the blood pressure goals set in place by JNC-8.
- Operation Heart screener provides non-pharmacologic (ie. diet and lifestyle) methods for the patient to reduce his/her blood pressure if the patient is not at his/her goal
- Operation Heart screener provides a summary sheet of the screening information for the patient and can fax a referral report to the patient’s primary care provider with the results of the screening if the patient desires.
Interesting in having Operation Heart perform a blood pressure and cardiovascular risk assessment screening at your location?
Operation Heart is always looking to expand its screening vicinity, Please contact Taylor Redfern (tredfern@wisc.edu) or Kelsie Tingle (ktingle@wisc.edu) if you are interested or have any questions!