Improving Blood Pressure Control and Patient Satisfaction: An Improvement Project in a Primary Care Clinic

In the United States, approximately 100 million people are living with hypertension (high blood pressure) with 38% increase in its related deaths during the period of 2005-2015. The prevalence of hypertension related deaths are expected to rise partly due to the growing aging population, who are more susceptible to the disease. Hypertension has placed a huge healthcare burden on families and the general healthcare system as well. In response to these challenges, the American Medical Association (AMA) has recommended steps such as ensuring accurate blood pressure measurement, acting quickly to treat patients with hypertension, and working collaboratively with the patient to formulate a treatment plan. These steps form the basis of the Measure Accurately, Act Rapidly, and Partner with Patients (MAP) intervention. Despite the overall impact of MAP intervention on healthcare service delivery, few studies have been done to explore its effectiveness in managing hypertension. The current study, therefore, examined the effectiveness of MAP intervention in improving high blood pressure control and patient satisfaction. A total sample of 30 patients diagnosed with primary hypertension was included in the study. The results indicated a statistically significant improvement in both high blood pressure and patient satisfaction after six weeks of the intervention program. The study concluded that the MAP intervention strategy was effective in improving blood pressure control. The study recommended further investigations to determine the specific constructs of effective intervention.