Buffalo community set for a health care boost as Brook partners with CHCB

Community Health Center of Buffalo (CHCB) has partnered with Brook Health to improve health outcomes for patients with hypertension.

The alliance is already off to a flying start and is expected to accelerate the ramp up in the coming months.

CHCB is a community-based Federally Qualified Health Center with a heavy focus on delivering primary care to the underserved population in the Western New York region. 

Dr. Arvela Heider, Head of CHCB Population Health, says: “CHCB is working with Brook to understand the impact of remote monitoring and care on patients with hypertension. We are looking to understand how Brook’s model of continuous care through technology and health coaching can be utilized for the underserved population that the clinic serves.”

Brook RPM is designed to help manage chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart failure. It offers a complete cycle of connected care that allows healthcare providers to detect potential problems and take action quickly and easily.

Brook’s smartphone app collects health data from connected devices – in this case, a blood pressure monitor – and shares it directly with the patient’s care team. With real-time updates on how the patient is doing, the CHCB team can make care plan or medication adjustments easily. 

Brook RPM not only monitors patient data, but also offers motivation and guidance from Health Coaches, who offer any day of the year support via a chat service.  

CHCB Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kenyani Davis says: “I’m particularly motivated to find innovative services and solutions that can make a real difference to the underserved population in the region. Brook RPM helps us to promote prevention and wellness to our patients with hypertension. The Brook app, connected health data collection devices, and health coaching compliment what we do in-clinic and help our patients to meet their health goals.”

For all remote care services, it is critical to focus on how patients enroll and get started with Brook. 

CHCB is solving this with a dedicated in-clinic team for patient enrolment and activation, who work directly with patients to set them up on the Brook app, connect their devices, and ensure they feel comfortable with the RPM program. 

CHCB Project Manager Msaada Nankumba says: “We’re removing any barriers to enrollment by making sure our patients not only understand the process but also clearly understand the benefits they will get by enrolling into Brook Health blood pressure remote monitoring program and how their data will be used to help make treatment decisions. We assist patients to get fully connected, know how to navigate the system, and get ready to start the program by the time they leave the office, thereby ensuring they are very engaged and motivated to succeed in reaching their health goals. So far, it’s been a huge success.” 

Brook Co-founder and Chief Product Officer Kit Macgillivray says: “We are driven by a mission to deliver the optimal health care for everybody. When working with CHCB, we asked ourselves: ‘How can we provide better care to people who are already facing day to day challenges?’”

“By using cellular-based devices and Brook’s health coaching model, we are able to provide Brook’s services that really work for this population. The clinic’s attentive approach to getting patients onto the system has had great success and is laying the groundwork for ongoing engagement and positive patient outcomes.”