Meet the community health worker trying to reduce disparities in cardiovascular disease

Kristina Hargrove is a community health team member who manages the care of patients in the iHEART program, a collaborative aimed at reducing health inequities that contribute to heart disease. When patients with unmanaged high blood pressure come into the IU Health primary care office in downtown Indianapolis, Kristina invites them to join the program, which includes a free take-home blood pressure monitor as well as frequent text check-ins to talk about results. “We also see if the patients need help in the community as far as food insecurities, lack of transportation, discounts for medications, childcare, anything along those lines. If you need support with any of that, I’m here.”