It’s finally happening:
Dr. Florence Rothenberg is opening the first in-person neighborhood Blood Pressure Station at the Northside Farmers’ Market in July.
She says, “It is my mission to help you identify your risk factors for heart disease, the number one killer of American women and men, and to use up-to-date evidence-based medicine to reduce these risks to the best of our ability.”
Why Dr. Rothenberg is doing this work:
Heart disease is the number one killer of American women and men. High blood pressure is a major contributor to this problem. Unfortunately, most people don‘t know they have high blood pressure because there are typically no symptoms. About 50% of all Cincinnatians have high blood pressure, and many don’t even know they have it!
Patients arrived in Dr. Rothenberg’s practice only after hypertension caused permanent damage to their hearts and bodies. She was motivated to do all she could to reduce the impact of poorly controlled hypertension before it becomes a permanent problem.
How we are working to control high blood pressure:
Dr. Rothenberg is working to address this problem directly, in the community where she lives and works. In partnership with the Cincinnati Department of Health, neighbors can visit the Blood Pressure Station at the market to get their blood pressure checked and also to learn evidence-based actions they can take to get their blood pressure under control. Evidence shows that addressing this in the community is highly effective.
About the Blood Pressure Station:
The station will be present at the market every week, so neighbors can come back to check their progress, or find a provider through Department of Health representatives. The first 20 neighbors to get their blood pressure checked will get $10 in Market Coins to spend at the Market.
The Blood Pressure Station is being tested on Wednesdays through June during market hours, and will officially launch on Wed 3 July.
Northside Farmers’ Market
Wednesdays 4-7pm
4222 Hamilton Ave. (back parking lot)
Why at the market?
Data shows that we are not doing a great job of preventing disease in America. Most often, people come into the medical system long after issues like high blood pressure have caused damage to the heart and body, when it’s often too late.
We are used to going to a doctor’s office to get check-ups where things like high blood pressure or diabetes are found. But, many Americans can’t afford to see a doctor, don’t have the transportation, can’t leave work, and face other challenges to timely preventive care.
Some small studies suggest that performing these kinds of checks in the community where people are living their lives can catch problems early. But, there isn’t yet enough evidence to change the models of care that are currently being funded.
The goal is for the work at the Market to provide evidence that checking blood pressure in the community will be effective and prevent bigger problems down the road.
Dr. Rothenberg will conduct surveys to learn about the obstacles people face to good health. This anonymized information will not be in any way linked to the individuals receiving blood pressure checks, but will help us understand how to more effectively prevent heart attacks and strokes.
Who is Dr. Rothenberg and why is she here?
Dr. Florence Rothenberg is a Board-certified cardiologist who has been caring for hearts in Cincinnati since 2006. She became frustrated by the fact that many of her patients did not have access to a healthy diet or have the ability to engage in regular exercise.
To address this, she purchased the former North Presbyterian Church in Northside in 2022, to transform it into the Heart of Northside, a community health center with three goals:
- improve access to fresh produce by growing it on site
- improve health literacy through classes and individual counseling.
- improve community health through listening and outreach.
Community is an essential ingredient in good health.
The 47,000 square foot building hosts many community events throughout the year, including the weekly farmers’ market, health fairs, civic events, and the popular Northside Record Fair. It is also home to tenants like Ocotillo Herbals, Sages of Grief and Vox Veritatis Choir, and to weekly AA and NA meetings.
Spaces are available to rent for private functions, with fees helping to support the ongoing transformation of the building into an active, vibrant, community health facility.
