Remote blood pressure management for postpartum hypertension: a cost-effectiveness analysis

Area of Science:

• Maternal Health
• Health Economics
• Digital Health

Background:

• Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy require close postpartum monitoring.
• Postpartum remote blood pressure management programs are increasingly implemented.
• Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of these programs is crucial for scalability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the cost-effectiveness of remote blood pressure management compared to usual care for postpartum hypertension.
• To determine the scalability of remote blood pressure management interventions.

Main Methods:

• A cost-effectiveness analysis using a Markov model over 14 days.
• Modeled remote management included home monitoring, symptom guidance, and clinical oversight.
• Usual care involved symptom guidance and one outpatient visit.
• Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and readmissions averted were primary outcomes.
• Analyses were conducted from a societal perspective.

Main Results:

• Remote blood pressure management was the dominant strategy, costing less and yielding higher QALYs in the base-case scenario.
• The incremental cost per readmission averted was $145.00.
• Remote management was cost-effective in 99.28% of simulations, assuming a willingness to pay of $100,000 per QALY.

Conclusions:

• Remote blood pressure management for postpartum hypertension is cost-saving and superior to usual care.
• The findings support the dissemination and funding of remote blood pressure management programs.
• This strategy offers a scalable solution for improving postpartum care.