When 57-year-old Brooklyn resident Timothy Rhonda visited Park Ridge Family Health Center at NYU Langone with dangerously high blood pressure, he worried he might once again end up in the hospital. Instead, to his surprise and great relief, his care team handed him a device no larger than a standard blood pressure cuff—giving him the ability to manage his condition from home safely.
Rhonda has a long history of high blood pressure. In 2019, he underwent successful robot-assisted mitral heart valve repair at NYU Langone's main campus in Manhattan under the care of cardiac surgeon Didier F. Loulmet, MD.
After the surgery, Rhonda stopped taking his blood pressure medication and went nearly two years without treatment. But years later, he began experiencing mild discomfort near the surgical incision in his chest, and numbness in his leg at the bypass site, so he sought care at the Park Ridge facility. Tests revealed that his blood pressure had become dangerously elevated.
To help prevent future complications, he enrolled in NYU Langone's remote patient-monitoring program, which allows clinicians to track his blood pressure and adjust treatment through virtual visits—reducing the need for repeated in-person appointments.
The program, designed to improve blood pressure control in underserved communities, launched in January 2022. It is part of an initiative, supported by the National Institutes of Health and NYU Langone's Beyond Bridges program, which brings together community-based and clinical efforts to improve the health and well-being of diverse populations in Sunset Park. The program also reflects NYU Langone's broader strategy to incorporate remote monitoring into routine care across the health system, expanding virtual oversight for patients with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, maternal health conditions, and other chronic illnesses.
In Rhonda's case, a virtual health team reviews his blood pressure and meets with him remotely for coaching and medication management between in-person visits. During a recent virtual appointment, nurse practitioner Oronde K. Lewis, NP, noticed that his blood pressure remained elevated and promptly adjusted his medication.
"Once my team adjusted my medication, my blood pressure came under control," said Rhonda, who lives in Coney Island. "I feel much better knowing it's being monitored. It's been wonderful and very helpful for me."
Findings from the program's initial implementation, published in NEJM Catalyst, demonstrated that integrating remote monitoring into routine primary care can improve outcomes and patient engagement. The research was led by Antoinette M. Schoenthaler, EdD, professor in the Departments of Population Health and Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
As part of the study, experts at the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone, one of the largest Federally Qualified Health Center networks in the nation, identified approximately 4,000 patients with uncontrolled hypertension. Nearly 1,000 of those patients received remote monitoring devices, resulting in statistically significant improvements in blood pressure control. Participants in remote monitoring also experienced meaningful reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. They were significantly more likely to achieve blood pressure control and take their medication as prescribed than those receiving usual care.
This allows us to bring care to patients rather than requiring patients to come to us repeatedly for monitoring. We can see their readings in real time and adjust treatment immediately, improving outcomes and reducing barriers to care."
Isaac P. Dapkins, MD, chief medical officer of the Family Health Centers
The program uses a Bluetooth-enabled blood pressure cuff that automatically syncs with the patient's medical record. Patients record their blood pressure once or twice daily, allowing nurse practitioners, cardiologists, and other members of their care team to review the readings remotely and adjust medications as needed.
A clinical decision support tool automatically identifies patients with elevated blood pressure during visits, helping providers enroll eligible patients in the program and making participation seamless for both patients and clinicians.
The program has also proven popular among non-English-speaking patients and those with limited access to computers and smartphones—a population historically less likely to benefit from digital health tools.
"Many of our patients face technological barriers," said Arielle Elmaleh-Sachs, MD, medical director and internist at the Sunset Park Family Health Center at NYU Langone—55th Street, who oversees the initiative. "By combining remote monitoring with education and support, we're able to help patients actively participate in their care."
Community health workers assist patients with device setup and use, while helping address social factors that can affect health, further improving participation and outcomes. For Rhonda, this technology has not only changed how he manages his health but has also been lifesaving.
"I think everyone who needs their blood pressure monitored should try it," he said. "It can save your life."
By making monitoring easier and more accessible, the program helps patients detect problems earlier and manage heart health proactively, before complications occur.
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