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Q&A
Hypertension management and blood pressure monitoring initiatives
1:24:11
ยท
93 sec
Council Member Mercedes Narcisse inquires about initiatives related to blood pressure monitoring and hypertension management. Acting Commissioner Michelle Morse discusses the department's approach to addressing hypertension and supporting patients with high blood pressure.
- Hypertension is part of the Healthy NYC goals
- Many insurance companies cover blood pressure cuffs
- Community health worker support is crucial for effective blood pressure management
- Emphasis on patient engagement and support for lifestyle changes and medication adherence
Mercedes Narcisse
1:24:11
And about this sphincter, the blood pressure machine that we went around our city and then give folks some indicators how to seek help and when the blood pressure is not doing well.
1:24:22
Do we where are we because we passed the bill trying to get people to more compliant to what's going on in their lives.
Michelle Morse
1:24:30
We do have quite a bit of work on hypertension.
1:24:32
Hypertension is a part of our work within our Healthy NYC goals as well and so for blood pressure cuffs specifically, sometimes it's covered by insurance.
1:24:42
In fact many insurance companies do cover blood pressure cuffs, which is great.
1:24:47
Often what I see as an internal medicine doctor, and I practice at Kings County as you know, I see people with high blood pressure all the time.
1:24:55
And oftentimes the challenge for them is not necessarily getting the blood pressure cuff, but it's actually having someone to support them like a community health worker to make sure that they both know how to use the blood pressure cuff, know how to write down the results of the blood pressure cuff, know when to bring those results to their primary care doctor, and then have support in taking their medications as well as making some of the diet changes that are necessary when you have high blood pressure.
1:25:22
So I would say that our community health worker work is particularly important since many insurance companies do cover blood pressure cuffs.
1:25:30
That's kind of getting from the blood pressure cuff to the actual action and patient engagement and support to the patient who is trying to improve their blood pressure control.
Mercedes Narcisse
1:25:40
Thank you, but as an educator, I used to do home care.
1:25:42
Thank you, chairs, thank you.
Michelle Morse
1:25:43
Thank you.