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Beat Down Blood Pressure Video Challenge

In an effort to crowd source better ways the public and health care professionals can leverage technology to manage high blood pressure, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) in partnership with Million Hearts™, announces a Beat Down Blood Pressure Video Challenge. This is the second in a series of video challenges through which members of the public are encouraged to develop and submit a short, compelling video sharing how they use health IT or consumer e-health tools to manage high blood pressure. A $1000 cash prize will be awarded to winners in several categories with a $500 prize for the popular choice award. Entrants won’t need highly specialized equipment—a standard video recorder or phone with a video function will work.

The public and health care professionals are encouraged to enter to win! Videos should demonstrate how health IT or consumer e-health tools are used to support blood pressure control through activities such as routine monitoring of blood pressure, taking blood pressure medications as prescribed, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle that helps lower blood pressure. For inspiration, check out the winning videos from the Healthy New Year Video Challenge at http://healthynewyear.challenge.gov/.

High blood pressure (aka “hypertension”) affects one in three adults in the U.S. and is sometimes referred to as the “silent killer” because it damages the brain, heart, eyes, and kidneys while causing no symptoms. If left untreated, high blood pressure can result in strokes, heart attacks, and kidney failure. Fortunately there are steps that each of us can take to prevent or manage high blood pressure and technology can help!

You can enter the contest yourself or help to spread the word about it to others using the Twitter hashtag #HealthIT4UBP. ONC’s one-stop shop for consumer information on health IT—HealthIT.gov?already features several compelling stories about how health IT has helped people and their health care providers save lives, beat cancer, and weather a natural disaster. The video challenges are a chance to add your story to the mix and win cash prizes.

To learn more about this challenge and others, please visit http://BloodPressure.challenge.gov. All challenges will be featured on http://www.challenge.gov. The video challenge series will run throughout 2012.

Announcing the Winners of the Healthy New Year Video Challenge – Congrats!

Congratulations to the winners of our first video challenge—the Healthy New Year Video Challenge! Only 8 percent of Americans successfully achieve their resolutions. We hope these videos serve as a way to motivate and inspire others to leverage technology to help them stay the course and achieve their health goals. And the winners are

For a complete list of all the winning videos, visit http://HealthyNewYear.challenge.gov.

About ONC’s Consumer e-Health Program

This video challenge is one of many ways that ONC’s new Consumer e-Health Program is working to promote patient and family engagement in health through technology by improving consumer access to their electronic health information; spurring innovation to develop new ways to make that information actionable; and shifting attitudes so people feel comfortable using new tools and health information to be better partners with their health care providers in their health and health care.