Nearly half of American adults are affected by hypertension. High blood pressure that is left unchecked can lead to severe cardiovascular complications. By leveraging digital hypertension management solutions, healthcare providers can address these challenges by delivering continuous, data-driven care that adapts to patients’ evolving needs.
This article examines the roles digital solutions, medication management, and behavior change play in supporting hypertension management. We will also explore a new research report from the Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI) that “highlights digital solutions that improve hypertension control.”
Digital Hypertension Management Solutions
Blood pressure control is often challenging for patients and providers. It can be an even greater challenge without frequent medication adjustments and regular monitoring. Traditional care requires multiple office visits. Adjustments to medication regimens may not be made between visits. This can delay optimal blood pressure control.
The PHTI reports that some digital hypertension management solutions can lead to better clinical outcomes. Although, their effectiveness varies across different approaches. The authors acknowledge the value of remote monitoring solutions that include medication management in improving hypertension outcomes. A holistic approach of technology and support seems to be the takeaway. Solutions were categorized into the following three types.
Blood Pressure Monitoring
Remote blood pressure monitoring is a digital hypertension management technology that showed slightly better systolic blood pressure reductions than standard care. However, the changes were generally not large enough to be clinically meaningful on their own. Although beneficial for patient care, this approach’s savings from health improvements do not offset the higher provider reimbursement costs tied to remote patient monitoring.
Medication Management
Medication management achieves clinically significant systolic blood pressure reductions more quickly than standard care, resulting in meaningful health improvements. It may also improve access and equity for underserved populations. It increases net health spending initially but has the potential to generate long-term savings through reductions in cardiovascular events.
Behavior Change
This approach uses coaching and reminders to encourage lifestyle changes and medication adherence. It provides minimal additional systolic blood pressure reduction compared to usual care. Though it may improve access and equity for underserved populations. Lower cost but with limited incremental benefits, failing to offset the solution’s price.
Digital Hypertension Management: Health Equity & Outcomes
Tenovi and Medication Adherence
Tenovi’s smart Pill Box provides real-time feedback to support patients’ consistent engagement with their prescribed regimens. The pill box and its integrated cellular gateway use a red and green light reminder system to alert patients to take their medication and measure their blood pressure. This simple reminder system can mitigate common adherence challenges, such as forgetting doses or missing blood pressure checks. As healthcare providers increasingly turn to remote patient monitoring solutions, tools like Tenovi’s offer a high-value, patient-centric approach to impactful digital health interventions.
