This measure is related to work funded by CDC cooperative agreements called the State Public Health Actions to Prevent and Control Diabetes, Heart Disease, Obesity and Associated Risk Factors and Promote School Health (CDC-1305; SHAPE grant) and Improving the Health of Americans Through Prevention and Management of Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke (CDC-1815).

CDC-1305 activities began in July of 2013 and concluded in September 2018. Funds were provided to eHealthConnecticut (Regional Extension Center) and a Self Blood Pressure Monitoring Consultant (M3 Consulting) to assist large health care systems in implementing systems to encourage patient self-management of high blood pressure. The goal was for 20 large health care systems to implement self-blood pressure management policies by the end of the 5-year grant period.

CDC-1815 activities began in the Fall of 2018 and will conclude in June 2023.  As part of these activities, the Department of Public Health funds four health care organizations to implement or enhance their policies for self-measured blood pressure monitoring.  JSI serves a technical assistance organization to support the health care organizations in implementing self-measured blood pressure programs.

These data are current as of February2, 2023.  New data will be available in the Spring of 2024.

eHealthConnecticut (Regional Extension Center) - Working with health care systems to track National Quality Forum (NQF) Measure 18, initiate quality improvement strategies and establish Self-Blood Pressure Monitoring (SBPM) policy;

Health care systems - Working with electronic health record (EHR) systems to track NQF 18 and initiate quality improvement strategies;

M3 Consulting - Self-Blood Pressure Monitoring Consultant that provides technical assistance to health care systems to establish SBPM policy

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found strong evidence that self-measure blood pressure monitoring plus additional support (i.e. one-on-one counseling, web-based or telephonic support, and educational classes) were more effective than usual care in lowering blood pressure among patients with hypertension. Self-measured blood pressure monitoring refers to the regular measurement of a patient's own blood pressure.

The Department of Public Health:

1. Worked with the Regional Extension Center (eHealthConnecticut) to develop an health information technology (HIT) process to identify and monitor patients within a health care system who are eligible for a self-blood pressure monitoring program.

2. Worked with Self-Blood Pressure Monitoring (SBPM) Consultant to provide technical assistance to health care systems on developing self-blood pressure monitoring policies within their system.