Jeffrey VanWormer will lead heart attack prevention program
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn 09/30/2008-- Allina Hospitals & Clinics and Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation are pleased to announce that Jeffrey VanWormer is the director of the Heart of New Ulm program. The program’s goal is to reduce, and eventually eliminate, heart attacks in New Ulm, Minn. over the next 10 years.
A community health assessment is expected to reveal opportunities for health improvement in New Ulm. VanWormer says programs will be developed for people who are healthy, those who are at risk for heart disease and individuals who could benefit from disease management and intervention.
“A lot of people making a few changes can have a greater impact on the rate of heart attacks than a few people making great changes," said VanWormer.
VanWormer has been meeting with community leaders to learn what people in New Ulm are already doing to prevent heart disease. He is inviting anyone who is interested in the Heart of New Ulm program to a free summit meeting.
The meeting will be Tuesday, October 28 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the New Ulm Middle School auditorium. Dan Buettner, author of “The Blue Zone” and a researcher on longevity will be the keynote speaker.
VanWormer is working toward his Ph.D. degree in epidemiology at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He received his B.A. in psychology at Winona State University, and his Master of Science in applied behavior analysis at St. Cloud State University.
He most recently worked for HealthPartners in the Department of Health Promotions as a senior program evaluator. His duties included statistical analysis, customer reporting, program development and coordination of various developmental research projects. As a research assistant at the U of M, he coordinated community weight loss trials and counseled weight loss patients.
New Ulm is a city of about 13,500 people located 60 miles southwest of Minneapolis. The Heart of New Ulm program is part of The Center for Healthcare Innovation at Allina, a "living laboratory" for researching new care models and treatments to transform health and health care.
More about Allina and the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation
Allina Hospitals & Clinics is a not-for-profit health care system of hospitals, clinics and other patient care services that provides exceptional care to communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin and employs more than 22,000 people. Allina Hospitals & Clinics facilities, services and jobs can be found online at www.allina.com
The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation at Abbott Northwestern Hospital is creating a world without heart disease through groundbreaking clinical research and innovative educational programs. More information is at www.mplsheart.org.
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