Assessing the Problem: Technology, Care Coordination, and Community Resources Considerations

  According to previous projections, hypertension, which affects one in three US individuals, is the most expensive cardiovascular condition (Kirkland et al., 2018). It is vital to address the coordination of care for individuals and their families with hypertension and community resources available to them. Technology can play an important role in caring for and preventing complications for hypertensive individuals. One piece of technology that this population should use regularly is a sphygmomanometer, which digitally measures a patients' blood pressure. Most are familiar with this technology and its benefits to them but there are many others that could be implemented into practice to make managing their care easier. Impact of Health Care Technology The inclusion of tele-health and tele-pharmacy services could expand coverage for this population and improve patient compliance and outcomes. A pharmacist may be able to increase patient access to hypertension screening, increase the effectiveness of hypertension management, and guarantee the standard of treatment through team-based care practices in coordination with their primary care physician (Omboni et al., 2019). An effective physician-pharmacist collaborative approach for the management of hypertension may improve patient education on lifestyle changes, monitor patient's adherence to prescription medications, early detection of hypertension through screenings, drug therapy treatment education, and cardiovascular risk factor education and prevention for this population (Omboni et al., 2019). When a tele-pharmacy service is incorporated into the hypertension treatment approach, there are numerous advantages. The drugstore is typically close to the patient's home or place of employment, is open six to seven days a week, can counsel on appropriate diet education, doesn't typically