In an effort to make blood pressure monitoring more accessible, the American Heart Association has teamed with Brigham and Women’s Hospital to launch a blood pressure monitor loaner program at nearly a dozen health clinics across Boston.
The program provides patients with blood pressure monitors to borrow for two to three weeks, allowing them to track their readings from home.
“Keeping an eye on your blood pressure is really important for managing it and making changes to treatment when needed,” said Stephanie Voltaire, a community impact director for the American Heart Association in Greater Boston. “This is going to help people stay on top of their numbers and make the lifestyle changes that can make a big difference in their health.”
Patients at participating clinics are routinely screened for hypertension, and those diagnosed with high blood pressure receive ongoing support from the hospital’s Social Care Team. This support includes home visits, training on how to monitor blood pressure, and guidance on making lifestyle changes. The American Heart Association is working with the Social Care Team to roll out the blood pressure loaner program for these patients.
As part of the initiative, the Association has supplied the clinics with about 50 blood pressure monitors for patients to borrow, along with educational materials on managing hypertension. The local health non-profit Heart of a Giant is also assisting with the program, providing training and technical support to the Social Care Team.
Patients are instructed to measure their blood pressure twice a day and log their readings. After two weeks, if their readings remain consistently high, they are referred to their primary care physician or nurse for further evaluation and possible medication adjustments.
The Social Care Team’s work is focused on reducing disparities in hypertension rates as part of Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s broader United Against Racism initiative—a plan to address the effects of racism within the hospital and the wider community. Hypertension affects approximately 171,000 residents in Boston, with the highest rates found in the city’s majority-Black neighborhoods of Mattapan (38%), Roxbury (30%), and Dorchester (30%).
Voltaire said she plans to check in with the Social Care Team every three months to ensure the program’s success. She is also working to expand the initiative to other United Against Racism programs, with the goal of bringing similar support to more communities across Greater Boston.