Nearly half the adults in the U.S. are taking medications for hypertension, and nearly half a million deaths in 2018 attributed hypertension as the primary or secondary cause.

The Hypertension Progression focuses on utilizing chronic disease state management with hypertension medications to lay the groundwork for the Appointment Based Model by incorporating medication synchronization and longitudinal follow-up into the pharmacy workflow. The progression aims to support developing new roles for non-pharmacy staff members, documenting monthly care coordination, and fostering a strong relationship with both patients and their prescribers. One example of additional resources provided is the FREE “Importance of Measuring Blood Pressure Accurately” training provided by the American Heart Association which can be completed by non-pharmacist staff to expand their role in the pharmacy patient care process. The progression also explains measures of hypertension care measurement (e.g., HEDIS and CMS Star Measures), their impact on financial incentives for primary care physician practices, and how pharmacies can collaborate to improve those ratings and overall patient care.   

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Source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion , Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention