IS HOME BLOOD PRESSURE SELF MONITORING HERE TO STAY? AN EVALUATION OF PATIENT SATISFACTION WITH HOME BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING IN A RURAL POPULATION DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC

ABSTRACT

Objective: During the COVID pandemic patients with hypertension were trained to self-monitor blood pressures at home . A post service transformation evaluation was undertaken as COVID restrictions were eased to assess if patients would prefer office blood pressure vs home monitoring for ongoing care. Design and method: A retrospective analysis of all patients who consented to home blood monitoring during the COVID pandemic was undertaken at 12 months across three health centre in a rural population. Patients were asked of their perception of doing home blood pressure readings and their confidence and satisfaction with this method vs office. Method: Patients were asked during routine medication reviews and at the end of 12 months of their confidence and satisfaction and difficulties with managing home blood pressure monitoring in order to understand their preferences for future care Results: Of the total of over 2000 patients with known diagnosis of hypertension n = 2000, a sample cohort of 500 patients (sample size 25%) were asked as they had medication reviews of their confidence with the self-monitoring. The no of patients who felt confident and wished to continue was quite high 70% this did not vary across the ages i.e. both young and the elderly were content doing their own home blood readings. Only 50 patients (11.8%) wanted office readings reasons were affordability and lack of confidence with the reliability of home readings and those who were very elderly wanted the human contact which they previously had. Conclusions: Home blood pressure self-monitoring is a safe reliable and evidenced based and previously underutilized method of monitoring patients with hypertension. We believe the office readings of blood pressure still have a place in routine care but the overwhelming response and satisfaction with home blood pressure is likely to change monitoring and lead to better overall blood pressure control. (Figure Presented).