NEW YORK, NY — (Marketwired) — 07/10/13 — A study just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that pharmacists using telemonitoring helped patients achieve better blood pressure control than physicians in usual care. The study used telemonitoring solutions from , a leading provider of end-to-end telehealth solutions.
Results of the study, led by Karen Margolis, MD, MPH, senior investigator at the , appeared in the article in the July 3rd issue of JAMA. The researchers compared pharmacist case management guided by blood pressure telemonitoring with traditional office-based physician care.
The randomized trial enrolled 450 patients with uncontrolled hypertension. Approximately half the patients monitored their blood pressure at least six times a week at home for a year. Their readings were transmitted electronically to pharmacists who provided lifestyle advice and adjusted medications to achieve better blood pressure control. The rest of the participants — the control group — were treated by their regular physicians.
At the end of the yearlong program, 71.2% of telemonitoring patients had their blood pressure well controlled, while only 52.8% of the control group had their pressure controlled. When checked six months later, the effect of the program was still strong, with 71.8% of the telemonitoring group well controlled, compared to 57.1% of the patients who received care in their doctors- offices. The telemonitoring patients were substantially more confident that they could communicate with their healthcare team, integrate home blood pressure monitoring in their weekly routine, follow their medication regimen, and keep their blood pressure under control.
An by David J Magid, MD, MPH (Kaiser Permanente Colorado Institute for Health Research) and Beverly B. Green, MD, MPH (Group Health Research Institute, Seattle) stated that this study “…demonstrates how to improve BP control by making hypertension management… accessible, easy and convenient.” They note that “hypertension is the most common diagnosis made at primary care office visits…” and that it is “…a greater risk factor for cardiovascular disease than tobacco use or obesity.” Based on the current study and two other recent studies, they state “…it is clear that bringing hypertension care out of the office and into patients- homes works… Out-of-clinic BP monitoring with team care should largely replace traditional office-based BP management for most patients… BP reductions brought about by this change could lead to substantial reductions in cardiovascular events and mortality…”
“AMC Health is honored to have provided the telehealth solutions for this ground-breaking study,” said Nesim Bildirici, president and CEO of AMC Health. “It demonstrates that telehealth solutions play a significant role in helping healthcare systems improve outcomes. Better control of blood pressure will reduce the incidence of strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and kidney disease.”
With headquarters in New York City, AMC Health is a leading provider of end-to-end telehealth solutions, with customized, scalable, cost-effective programs for patients with chronic diseases. AMC Health delivers clinically actionable information that enhances care coordination, improves patient outcomes and reduces the overall cost of healthcare. For more information, visit .
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Jan Shulman
Amendola Communications for AMC Health
480.664.8412
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