Each year, about 610,000 people die from heart disease in the United States.

But thanks to UNC School of Medicine professor Sam Cykert and Heart Health Now, practices are getting better access to patients’ health data and helping people build healthier habits with dedicated coaches.

In 2015, Cykert — in partnership with Healthcare Research and Quality, Community Care of North Carolina and North Carolina Area Health Education Centers — developed Heart Health Now, a project working toward combating cardiovascular disease in North Carolina.

On this episode of Well Said, Cykert explains the Heart Health Now project, its impact on the state and where it’s going next.