The seriousness of hypertension is well recognized. There is great interest in preventing, treating, and controlling this condition in eastern North Carolina.

Many in the region, including healthcare systems, practitioners, community organizations and leaders, local officials, and residents continue to work hard to address this burden. The Empathy-Building Resource Guide is designed to provide healthcare professionals useful resources to enhance relationships with patients at risk for hypertension, needing treatment for hypertension, or managing hypertension.

The Empathy-Building Resource Guide specifically focuses on a set of resources for:

• Enhancing skills in contextually providing patients with self-management strategies
• Improving provider-patient communications

This toolkit is a great resource for all types of healthcare professionals. I strongly encourage you and your colleagues to use it.
Sidney C. Smith, Jr., MD FACC, FAHA, FACP; Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill