The University of Kansas Hospital will lead a team working to reduce deaths from heart attacks and strokes in western Kansas.

The hospital announced Wednesday that it had received a $12.5 million, three-year federal grant to lead the effort.

The hospital will work with Hays Medical Center and 10 critical access hospitals and primary care providers in western Kansas.

The program will use technology, health data exchanges, preventive health screening and care management to help patients in mostly rural areas.

Barbara MacArthur, vice president for cardiac services at the Kansas Hospital, said 5,321 Kansans died of heart disease and 1,333 Kansans died of cerebrovascular diseases in 2011, and the highest mortality rates were in rural communities.

—

Associated Press information from: Lawrence Journal-World