NEOMED Partners on “CARDI-OH’’

How can educational institutions help Ohioans achieve better heart health?

Northeast Ohio Medical University is working with medical schools throughout Ohio on a project called the Ohio Cardiovascular Health Collaborative (“CARDI-OH”). The shared goal is to improve cardiovascular health outcomes and eliminate cardiovascular health disparities among the Ohio Medicaid population. Through a grant to Case Western Reserve University and MetroHealth from the Ohio Medicaid Technical Assistance and Policy Program, NEOMED recently received funding of $100,013 for its work.

NEOMED’s participants are partnering with the other members of the collaborative to share information, learn together and disseminate best practices to prevent, diagnose and manage cardiovascular disease in Ohio’s Medicaid population; and to identify and address disparities in cardiovascular health care and outcomes affecting the Ohio Medicaid population.

The NEOMED group consists of Joseph Zarconi, M.D., professor and chair, Department of Internal Medicine, and senior associate dean for health affairs; Terri Christensen, senior associate dean of strategic initiatives and health affairs; George Litman, M.D., professor emeritus, Department of Internal Medicine; John Boltri, M.D., professor and chair, Department of Family and Community Medicine; Emily Murphy, director, health affairs; and Stacey Gardner-Buckshaw, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine, and director of community engagement.

Funding for “CARDI-OH” originated with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a federal agency.