WISEWOMAN Program Locations
Massachusetts

Background: Massachusetts Department of Public Health was originally funded as a research project in 1995. Since 1999, Massachusetts has been funded as a standard project.

Lifestyle Intervention: Massachusetts uses an evidenced- based intervention designed to be conducted in a clinical practice setting. This intervention includes an assessment to determine a client’s stage of change, development of an individualized plan, lifestyle counseling and education. Participants are referred to community–based individual or group nutrition, physical activity and tobacco use education sessions.

Screening: Risk factor screening includes blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol and other lipids testing as well as assessing weight, medical history, tobacco use, diet, and physical activity.

Sites: 17 sites, including federally funded community health centers, hospitals, clinics, private individual and group practices, clinics, and visiting nurse associations.

Key Partners:  American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association and many community-based organizations, coalitions and partnerships across the state.

For additional information contact: Anita Christie, RN MHA CPHQ WISEWOMAN Coordinator Phone: (617) 624–5441 E-mail: anita.christie@state.ma.us

Program Highlights

Direct Services

• The Massachusetts WISEWOMAN program provides services at 31 clinics. It conducted 5,781 screenings during the 2009–2010 reporting period, which was more than double its screening goal.¹
• The Massachusetts WISEWOMAN program conducted 688 lifestyle intervention sessions during the 2009–2010 reporting period.

Partnerships

• The Massachusetts WISEWOMAN program wanted to ensure that WISEWOMAN clients receive quality care, starting with accurate blood pressure measurement. It partnered with the Massachusetts Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention and Control Program to increase adherence to the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC-7) guidelines. During 2009 and 2010, the partnership resulted in training and technical assistance being provided to seven pilot clinic sites. This enabled the clinics to develop policies and systems and to conduct trainings for staff to support accurate blood pressure measurement. This project’s impact is being evaluated using pre- and post-pilot surveys, staff interviews, and chart audits. Preliminary findings show an increased adherence to JNC-7 guidelines and improved quality of care provided to WISEWOMAN participants.

Evaluation

• The Massachusetts WISEWOMAN program wanted to be sure that all WISEWOMAN clients received all the screening services that comprise a complete WISEWOMAN screening. Performance indicators for completeness were identified as the recording of all WISEWOMAN laboratory test results; height, weight, and two blood pressure measurements; risk-reduction counseling; and all core elements of "Healthy Heart," the Massachusetts WISEWOMAN lifestyle intervention. The WISEWOMAN program monitors the indicators using its Dashboard data system and provides a monthly report to each clinic that shows its performance in comparison to that of other clinics. The performance reports provide the basis for the work plans the Project Manager creates with each clinic and identify technical assistance and training needs.

Reference

1. Data are reported from the preliminary WISEWOMAN Minimum Data Elements report (October 2010). Screening includes any WISEWOMAN-funded screening (blood pressure, cholesterol, or diabetes) provided from July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010. Lifestyle interventions refer to the number of lifestyle intervention sessions conducted from July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010.