Scotland’s digital hypertension platform reaches 100,000 users
NHS Connect Me app for remotely testing blood pressure reaches major milestone, saving NHS some 400,000 face-to-face appointments in the past five years.
It’s estimated that some 1.3m people in Scotland are impacted by high blood pressure, aka hypertension. High blood pressure is the leading preventable risk factor for heart and circulatory disease, and is associated with about half of all strokes and heart attacks.
Photo by Jesse Orrico
Happily, where someone has developed – or is at risk of developing – high blood pressure, action can be taken to lower the chances of further life-threatening complication. That action includes quitting smoking, reducing the intake of alcohol, eating more healthy foods and being more active.
Research shows that patients who monitor their own blood pressure using remote monitoring devices can reach optimal levels much faster than those who have their blood pressure measured by a doctor twice a year.
What’s more, such remote monitoring can significantly reduce the number of appointments needed with a GP or other healthcare professionals to confirm a diagnosis and manage the condition. That means the right remote monitoring app is better for patients while also easing pressure on health services.
In Scotland, the free NHS Connect Me programme enables clinicians to monitor trends in any patient and change medication as required, whether levels improve or deteriorate over time. Patients call also tailor the way readings of their blood pressure are shared, choosing between mobile app, web browser, text message or automated call. According to a survey of users, as many as 99% find the platform easy to use and 94% say they would use it again.
NHS Connect Me is supplied by Inhealthcare.
Health Secretary Neil Gray says: ‘Connect Me is another example of how we’re embracing technology to help tackle the challenges facing health and social care. It’s extremely encouraging to see that over 100,000 patients have benefitted from the platform to date saving an estimated 400,000 appointments.
‘I would encourage health boards to increase the roll out of Connect Me and for people who have hypertension to ask their GPs if they might be eligible for the programme. By empowering patients to take control of their wellbeing we are not only improving health outcomes but also significantly reducing pressure on primary care services.’
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