Effects of technology-enabled blood pressure monitoring in primary care: A quasi-experimental trial.

Technology to enhance hypertension management is increasingly used in primary care; however, it has not been evaluated in an Asian primary care setting. We aimed to understand the clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of a technology-enabled home blood pressure monitor when deployed in primary care, and patients' perspectives about the technology. A quasi-experimental cohort study was conducted in a polyclinic in Singapore. In total, 120 patients with hypertension were assigned to the telemonitoring intervention group. Patients received a home blood pressure device connected to the clinical care team's dashboard through a mobile gateway. Tele-consultations and nurse-led tele-support were carried out using established clinical protocols. In total, 120 patients assigned to the control group continued to receive usual care in the polyclinic. Clinical outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and patient satisfaction were measured 6 months after recruitment. In total, 217 patients completed 6 months of follow-up. Telemonitoring intervention patients had significantly increased odds of having controlled blood pressure by a factor of 2.69 ( Telemonitoring with tele-consultation improved blood pressure control and was more cost-effective than usual care. Patients receiving telemonitoring intervention were also more motivated and satisfied with their care.