Home-based blood pressure monitoring program proving popular

Stamford Hospital, a 305-bed academic medical center in Stamford, Conn., began offering its employees and their families remote blood-pressure monitoring a month ago. So far, the program has drawn more than 100 participants.

The program is designed to help control one of the hospital’s top medical-claims expense categories, according to a statement from Abacus Health Solutions, the cost-containment consultancy implementing the program.

The initiative facilitates collection and reporting of home-based blood pressure readings using Microsoft’s HealthVault personal health record. The readings are transmitted to the participant’s clinical team, allowing “optimal treatment decisions to be made and to provide additional support as needed,” according to Abacus.

Stamford offers a suite of wellness programs for their employees and their dependents called “Wellness U.” The Abacus eBlood Pressure program was created in part with government funding via the HHS’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Stamford is affiliated with New York Presbyterian Health System and is a teaching affiliate of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Abacus is based in Providence, R.I.
Dave Pearson

Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.

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