PHILADELPHIA— At least 33% of people in Philadelphia – more in West and Southwest Philadelphia – suffer from high blood pressure. But many of them don’t know it – that’s why the condition, also known as hypertension, is known as “the silent killer.” Across the nation, it has a disproportionate toll on communities of color: By age 55, research shows 3 of 4 Black adults have already developed the condition, compared to about 47.5% of white adults. Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to a range of disabling and potentially fatal chronic illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, dementia and kidney disease.
Today, Penn Medicine and the Greater Philadelphia American Heart Association (AHA) are launching a collaborative effort aimed at reversing the trend, by removing barriers to accurate blood pressure measurement and helping people get earlier diagnosis and treatment in partnership with a healthcare provider. Through the new three-year initiative, nine community-based organizations and three healthcare practices will work alongside Penn Medicine and the AHA to implement evidence-based protocols; examples include community-based blood pressure screen and refer initiatives, clinic-based self-measured blood pressure initiatives to diagnose and manage hypertension, and an annual training for healthcare organizations to assess and build knowledge on how to take an accurate blood pressure reading; all community and clinical based protocols proven to improve blood pressure control.
“Too often, the zip code where someone lives can have a stronger influence on their health than their genetic code. As a cardiologist, I am proud that this collaboration demonstrates our commitment to stepping outside of the clinical walls to meet our communities where they are and connect with those people most at risk who are currently being missed by the healthcare system.” said Helene Glassberg, M.D., director, Pre-operative Cardiac Clinic and professor of Clinical Medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and President of the American Heart Association’s Greater Philadelphia Region Board of Directors. “Getting your blood pressure checked regularly is knowledge, and knowledge is power – power that should be available to everyone, no matter where they live.”
The “Team Up to Take Down High Blood Pressure” initiative will launch on November 11, at Second Antioch Baptist Church, in the heart of West Philadelphia, where an initial group of project partners will come together for will receive information about the program and walk away with actionable next steps. The participating organizations include clinical partners Family Practice and Counseling Network, Greater Philadelphia Health Action, Spectrum Health Services, and community partners Southwest CDC and Second Antioch Baptist Church, all of which collectively serves an estimated 59,000 residents of West and Southwest Philadelphia annually.
The collaboration will also include a targeted public awareness campaign with a goal of empowering residents of West and Southwest Philadelphia to get their blood pressure checked regularly and raise awareness for the significant health risks of high blood pressure and how to effectively prevent and manage the condition. Additionally, Penn Medicine and the AHA will host an annual learning collaborative to share best practices and key learnings on barriers preventing patients from effectively managing high blood pressure. The Penn Medicine team will collaborate with student groups from across the University of Pennsylvania to support the clinics and community organizations in the implementation of self-measured blood pressure initiatives and community-based screen and refer programs. Students will also have the opportunity to assist in the teaching of the AHA’s EmPOWERED To Serve health lessons at participating community sites; a curriculum designed to harness the passion of individuals and organizations to overcome barriers to health equity.
“Penn Medicine and the AHA have a shared commitment to removing structural barriers that prevent people in the communities we serve from living their healthiest lives,” said University of Pennsylvania Health System CEO Kevin B. Mahoney. “By working alongside organizations and individuals who have a pulse on the community, staying true to science and quality, and remaining open to innovation, we are hopeful that we can save and improve lives. We are a part of these communities and want to do our part in working together to uncover solutions.”
“We are proud to stand beside Penn Medicine and the West and Southwest Philadelphia communities to address social inequities and barriers to health care that exist for historically disadvantaged communities, which we know result in an increased prevalence of chronic disease like high blood pressure and heart disease,” said Jennifer Litchman-Green, executive director, Greater Philadelphia AHA. “We are committed to driving improvement in high blood pressure management by identifying gaps in our systems preventing community members from achieving optimal blood pressure.”
This initiative represents a powerful collaboration aimed at taking a proactive approach to cardiovascular health with a goal of implementing sustainable approaches that will last well beyond the three-year initiative and can be taken to other communities in Philadelphia and beyond.
For more information on the Initiative, contact Jeffrey Salvatore, MSN, RN, CCRN-CMC, vice president, Community Impact, Greater Philadelphia AHA, at Jeffrey.salvatore@heart.org.
Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, excellence in patient care, and community service. The organization consists of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Penn’s Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school.
The Perelman School of Medicine is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $550 million awarded in the 2022 fiscal year. Home to a proud history of “firsts” in medicine, Penn Medicine teams have pioneered discoveries and innovations that have shaped modern medicine, including recent breakthroughs such as CAR T cell therapy for cancer and the mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System’s patient care facilities stretch from the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania to the New Jersey shore. These include the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Chester County Hospital, Lancaster General Health, Penn Medicine Princeton Health, and Pennsylvania Hospital—the nation’s first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional facilities and enterprises include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, Penn Medicine at Home, Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, among others.
Penn Medicine is an $11.1 billion enterprise powered by more than 49,000 talented faculty and staff.