Improving Blood Pressure Control With Strategic Workflows.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that only about 52 percent of the 70 million U.S. adults with high blood pressure have their condition under control. It costs an estimated $46 billion each year to address issues related to hypertension such as health care services, medications, and missed work. Seven to eight out of every 10 people have their first heart attack or stroke or develop congestive heart failure because of uncontrolled blood pressure. It is clear that blood pressure control is essential to preventing multiple medical conditions from occurring or worsening. This article discusses how our office of 11 employed physicians, working within an integrated health system, implemented strategic workflows to improve blood pressure control among our 2,800 patients with hypertension.