WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 29, 2022) — You can check out books, movies and music at your local library, and now, if you're an Indian River State College library patron, you can check out blood pressure monitors through an American Heart Association program called Libraries with Heart.
Thanks to a sponsorship from HCA Healthcare Foundation, the American Heart Association, a global force for longer, healthier lives is working with the library to provide blood pressure cuffs to Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast.
Through the Libraries with Heart program, the Indian River State College Pruitt Library will be home to five blood pressure monitors. These monitors can be checked out for two weeks at a time and will come with toolkits that include information on how to measure blood pressure correctly and space to track blood pressure numbers, so individuals can bring the information to their doctor as needed. Patrons can check out these blood pressure kits with either their St. Lucie County Library card or an Indian River State College student ID.
“This sponsorship is about addressing health in a holistic way,“ says Charles Gressle, HCA East Florida Division President. “Through programs such as Libraries with Heart, we are getting necessary resources out in the community, so we all have the opportunity to check our blood pressure and recognize when it is high and a doctor needs to get involved.”
High blood pressure is a leading cause of both heart disease and stroke, and in St. Lucie County alone, an estimated 36% of residents have it. It’s often referred to as the “silent killer,” because it can do damage to a person’s health without any symptoms.
“The library is a community resource in every sense, and this new program illustrates that perfectly,” says Mia Tignor, Library Services Administrative Director at Indian River State College. “Lending out blood pressure monitors will give everyone a free opportunity to check their numbers and get materials about managing blood pressure and how to get in touch with a doctor.”
The Libraries with Heart program launched at the Indian River State College Pruitt Library on Nov. 29, and the American Heart Association Palm Beach County hopes to expand this program to libraries across the region. To learn more, contact Brittani.Coore@Heart.org.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About HCA Healthcare
Nashville-based HCA Healthcare is one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services comprising 182 hospitals and approximately 2,300 ambulatory sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding ERs, urgent care centers, and physician clinics, in 20 states and the United Kingdom. With its founding in 1968, HCA Healthcare created a new model for hospital care in the United States, using combined resources to strengthen hospitals, deliver patient-focused care and improve the practice of medicine. HCA Healthcare has conducted a number of clinical studies, including one that demonstrated that full-term delivery is healthier than early elective delivery of babies and another that identified a clinical protocol that can reduce bloodstream infections in ICU patients by 44%. HCA Healthcare is a learning health system that uses its more than 35 million annual patient encounters to advance science, improve patient care and save lives. Please click here to connect with HCA Healthcare on social media.
About HCA Healthcare Foundation
The mission of the HCA Healthcare Foundation is to promote health and well-being and strive to make a positive impact in all the communities HCA Healthcare serves. We accomplish this mission by providing leadership, service and financial support to effective non-profit organizations working individually and collectively.
About HCA Florida Healthcare
HCA Florida Healthcare, a part of HCA Healthcare, is a family of more than 570 affiliated sites of care, including hospitals, physician practices and freestanding emergency rooms. United as a statewide network in 2021, HCA Florida Healthcare includes approximately 11,000 experienced doctors and 77,000 colleagues working together to deliver advanced, collaborative care to more than 7.4 million patients each year. HCA Florida Healthcare is committed to improving more lives in more ways and giving back to the communities it serves. The network provided nearly $836.6 million in uncompensated care and invested significantly in innovative technologies and facilities across Florida, including the new $360 million state-of-the-art, multi-specialty HCA Florida University Hospital in Davie, Fla. A strong advocate for the next generation of healthcare professionals, HCA Florida Healthcare is also a major supporter of university-based healthcare programs and residencies and fellowships throughout the Sunshine State. For more information, please visit HCAFloridaHealthcare.com.
For Media Inquiries:
American Heart Association
Nina Barbero, APR, nina.barbero@heart.org
HCA East Florida Division
Jennifer Guerrieri