Expanding Access to Preventive Care, One Kiosk at a Time
Client: Harris County Precinct 2
Deployed Kiosks: 6 self-service blood pressure kiosks
Timeframe: Program active since 2023
Annual Investment: $34,440
Total Screenings to Date: 49,200+
First-Time Users: ~10,800
The Challenge
In underserved areas of Harris County, many residents lacked access to routine health screenings and had limited awareness of their own blood pressure status. Chronic disease rates—especially hypertension—were disproportionately high, but local health leaders didn’t have the data needed to act.
The Solution
Texas Medical Screening partnered with Harris County Precinct 2 to install six bilingual, self-service kiosks in high-traffic community locations including senior centers and county offices. These kiosks require no staffing, allow real-time blood pressure checks, and provide data collection and reporting to guide public health initiatives.
Key Features:
- Bilingual, user-friendly interface
- No appointments, no staff required
- Flexible placement in public spaces
- Monthly data reports to track engagement and risk levels
- Optional wellness questionnaires for deeper insights
The Results
“We didn’t really have the numbers until we placed the kiosks—that changed everything.”
— Dr. Chara Bowie, Director of Health Equity, Harris County Precinct 2
Annual Program Snapshot
- 18,400 screenings completed in Year 1
- 3,600 first-time users reached (20% of total)
- 9,500 screenings flagged with Stage 1 or Stage 2 Hypertension
- 370 screenings flagged in Hypertensive Crisis range
- 480 screenings flagged for Extreme Obesity
Cost-Benefit Overview
- Program Cost per Year: $34,440
- Estimated Annual Avoided Costs: $1.4M+
- ROI: For every $1 invested, the county avoided $40 in healthcare costs
Health Cost Avoidance Breakdown:
- Hypertension Management (≈2% of flagged users): $960,000
- ER Visit Prevention (conservative estimate): $300,000
- Obesity-Related Cost Avoidance: $200,000
Impact Beyond the Numbers
- Generated community health data for the first time
- Reduced strain on emergency rooms and reactive care
- Helped advance Harris County’s health equity strategy
- Strengthened public trust through visible, local investment in prevention
What This Means for You
- Employers: Just like Harris County gave residents free, no-appointment access to preventive care, you can empower employees to manage their health at work—reducing sick days and supporting long-term productivity.
- Healthcare Providers: The same data that guided county-level public health decisions can help you meet population health goals, close care gaps, and track patient outcomes.
- Retailers & Community Centers: What county offices did for residents, you can do in-store—build trust, increase foot traffic, and become a local health hub.
