Philadelphia’s citywide initiative, Team Up to Take Down High Blood Pressure, is expanding in its third year to extend hypertension screening, education, referral services and evidence-based care across more neighborhoods. The expansion brings Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) and Jefferson Health into a collaboration that already includes Penn Medicine, Temple Health and the American Heart Association, Greater Philadelphia. The partners aim to build a coordinated system of support to improve cardiovascular health across the city.
According to the source report, roughly one in three Philadelphia residents has hypertension (high blood pressure), and many people are unaware they have the condition—hence the term “the silent killer.” The article notes substantial racial disparities: by age 55, three out of four Black adults have developed hypertension versus about 47.5% of white adults. The source emphasizes that untreated high blood pressure increases risks for heart disease, stroke, dementia and kidney failure, which motivates the multi-institutional response.
Year three of the initiative formally adds PCOM and Jefferson Health to the existing partners: Penn Medicine, Temple Health and the American Heart Association, Greater Philadelphia. The expansion builds on earlier phases that began in West and Southwest Philadelphia in 2024 and moved into North Philadelphia the following year. The addition of these academic and health system partners is intended to broaden program reach and create more opportunities for connecting residents to services.
The stated goal of the Team Up initiative is to reduce barriers to care, raise awareness and implement evidence-based strategies that improve hypertension control rates across Philadelphia. Two specific timelines are reported:
The source reports that participating organizations will receive program information and actionable next steps in the fall of the program year referenced.
The initiative will implement and expand a set of evidence-based strategies reported in the source, including:
These components are designed to increase detection, improve management adherence and close gaps in hypertension control across participating neighborhoods.
The article lists clinical and community organizations already participating: Family Practice and Counseling Services Network; Greater Philadelphia Health Action; Spectrum Health Services; Project HOME; Fair Hill Community Physicians; Eddie’s House; North10 Philadelphia; The Philadelphia Masjid; YEAH Philly; and Zion Baptist Church. Year three will add six more organizations, expanding the network of community sites and clinical centers that host screenings, referrals and educational activities.
Leaders from the American Heart Association Greater Philadelphia and partner institutions provided statements highlighting the expansion’s intended impact. Jennifer Litchman-Green, executive director of the Heart Association, Greater Philadelphia, said the addition of Jefferson Health and PCOM strengthens the initiative’s ability to reach more residents and build a coordinated citywide approach to improving blood pressure management and reducing health disparities.
Jay Feldstein, D.O., president and CEO of PCOM, is quoted as saying PCOM is committed to improving community health through education, prevention and access to care, and that joining the collaborative provides an opportunity to connect residents with resources to prevent serious cardiovascular complications.
Kate FitzPatrick of Jefferson Health and board president, Heart Association, Greater Philadelphia, emphasized the need to expand access to screening, education and evidence-based care in communities where the need is greatest. Kevin B. Mahoney, CEO of University of Pennsylvania Health System, described the initiative’s growth as a step forward in building healthier communities by uniting major healthcare and academic institutions with the American Heart Association.
The initiative will continue a public awareness campaign focused on empowering residents to regularly check their blood pressure and understand hypertension risks and management strategies. The program also includes annual training for participating healthcare organizations on the latest best practices in hypertension care, with the goal of standardizing evidence-based approaches across clinical and community sites.
The source notes that participating organizations will receive program information and actionable next steps in the fall. For more information on the Team Up to Take Down initiative, the reported contact is Jeffrey Salvatore, M.S.N., R.N., CCRN-CMC, vice president, Community Impact, American Heart Association, Greater Philadelphia, at Jeffrey.salvatore@heart.org. The source did not provide additional enrollment or volunteer procedures beyond this contact.