TECHNOLOGY
“ While access to healthcare in rural areas is critical , it is therefore in urban areas that mass approaches like CARDIO4Cities can have a rapid impact in a short timeframe . Cities can be drivers of cardiovascular population health ,” says Aerts .
Improving global cardiovascular health While the Novartis Foundation uses its results to support cities around the world , Aerts has some advice for others looking to conduct their own programme and the Novartis Foundation has created an Urban Population Health
Toolkit to support those who want to implement the CARDIO approach .
“ The toolkit starts with a needs assessment to discover what policies exist , understand the population at risk , map the patient pathway , and understand what barriers prevent progress towards achieving a city ’ s priorities in its efforts to improve cardiovascular health ,” Aerts explains . The toolkit provides insights , evidencebased strategies , tools and best practices to improve early detection and management of the main risk factor for CVD – hypertension . It will also constantly
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