In 2025, ambulatory teams across Providence Clinical Network sustained high commitment to reducing inequities in hypertension outcomes, with a focus on improving blood pressure control among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) due to the inequity in outcomes and prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular disease for BIPOC patients.
Through targeted, equity-centered interventions, teams successfully brought more than 3,800 additional BIPOC patients into hypertension control, increasing overall control rates from 67.97% to 71.25% by the end of 2025.
Building on prior successes, PCN conducted a two-action period second blood pressure check competition to reinforce best practices and accelerate reliable blood pressure measurement across its clinics.
The initiative emphasized the importance of second blood pressure measurements, which are critical for improving accuracy, reducing clinical bias and ensuring patients, particularly those historically underserved, are not misclassified or missed for timely hypertension management.
With this focused effort, teams achieved a nearly 20% increase in second checks among BIPOC patients, strengthening the reliability of clinical decision-making and advancing more equitable hypertension care.
“The second blood pressure caregiver education, aligned with the kickoff of the blood pressure recheck competition, significantly increased focus in Inland Northwest Washington,” said Amy Cummings, director of population health for Providence Inland Northwest Washington. “It strengthened readiness among our Providence Medical Group clinical teams to improve hypertension control rates.”
Collectively, these efforts reflect a maturing, systemwide approach to hypertension management that pairs performance improvement with intentional equity strategies to deliver measurable, sustained impact for all patients.
Providence partnered with the American Heart Association to advance evidence-based hypertension prevention and control strategies, aligning system priorities with national best practices for cardiovascular health and equity.
Through a coordinated social media campaign, Providence amplified awareness of blood pressure control, accurate measurement and self-management strategies, extending the reach of clinical improvement efforts beyond the care setting.
The “Love Your Heart, Lower Your Pressure” campaign reinforced consistent, patient-centered messaging across ambulatory teams and digital channels, encouraging engagement in heart-healthy behaviors and supporting sustained blood pressure control.
Since its launch in May 2025, this yearlong public awareness campaign has garnered more than 35 million media impressions across markets in California, Portland and Seattle.
