Hypertension: Comparing Pharmacist-Led Telehealth Care and Clinic-Based Care for Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure: The Hyperlink 3 Pragmatic Cluster-Randomized Trial
A study published in the Alliance for Connected Care advisory board member American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension found that telehealth care by pharmacists is an effective alternative to clinic-based care for managing high blood pressure. For the new study, researchers compared two types of care for moderately severe, uncontrolled high blood pressure: traditional clinic-based care, using face-to face visits with doctors and medical assistants, and telehealth care, with home blood pressure telemonitoring and home-based care coordinated via telephone by a pharmacist or in some cases, a nurse. The telehealth and the clinic-based care were both successful in lowering blood pressure on average. The findings suggest that telehealth care that includes extended team care is an effective and safe alternative to clinic-based care for improving patient-centered care for hypertension. For additional coverage, see the American Heart Association press release and mHealth Intelligence.