Evaluation of an Interdisciplinary Hypertension Management Program at a Large Primary Care Practice

Hypertension control remains challenging for many primary care patients. The goal of this study was to implement an evidence-based team approach to improve hypertension control, self-reported health distress, and self-efficacy in adult patients with hypertension at a large academic family medicine practice. The 5-year intervention included team-based medication therapy management, patient-centered behavioral counseling, and home blood pressure monitoring. Pre- and post-intervention blood pressure and patient surveys were analyzed using paired t-tests. The authors observed significant decreases in systolic blood pressure (148.4 vs. 135.6, P = 0.001) and self-reported health distress over the enrollment period in participants who completed the study. The multidisciplinary intervention was associated with reduced systolic blood pressure and health distress in patients who enrolled and completed the program. A multidisciplinary blood pressure monitoring program can be implemented by providers referring patients with uncontrolled hypertension after pharmacologic interventions.