Assessment 3 Instructions- Assessing the Problem- Technology Care Coordination and Community Resources Considerations Part 1

Hypertension is one of the significant causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. An estimated 1.28 billion adults globally have hypertension, with less than 42% of adults with hypertension diagnosed and treated (World Health Organization, 2021). The complications that result from hypertension include kidney failure, heart attack, and stroke. There is documented evidence that pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions are effective in managing hypertension and reducing complications (Ripley et al., 2015). Despite the clear benefits of hypertension control, many patients with hypertension are not getting quality care.

Impact of Healthcare Technology on Hypertension

Healthcare professionals must augment traditional hypertension management models with new technological approaches to promote self-management of hypertension. One such technology that can be used is E-health. E-health is a range of activities that use information technology to store and use healthcare information for healthcare purposes such as administration, diagnosis treatment, education, prevention, and patient monitoring (Wernhart et al., 2019). In recent times, healthcare delivery companies have adopted technology to ensure that they deliver quality care to their patients. The types of e-health include clinical decision support tools, telemedicine, electronic health records, and teleconsultation. There are several e-health applications, such as wearable watches, online prescriptions, and interactive systems.

Electronic health records include software that has patient information such as medical history, medications, diagnostic tests, allergies, and patient demographics  (Schopf et al., 2019). EHRs help support the decision-making of clinical teams. This improves the quality of care in hypertension. Healthcare providers can use telemedicine and telehealth for hypertension. Telemedicine involves using information technology to remotely deliver healthcare, offer patient education, and monitor patients (Wernhart et al., 2019). Telemedicine is critical in hypertension since it reduces physician visits, which reduces the costs of hypertension. In addition to this, it can also be used to educate patients and promote self-management of hypertension.

Telehealth can be delivered through web connections. Web-shared platforms are essential in hypertension management since they promote collaborative care and enhance communication within the multidisciplinary healthcare team. One application that can be used is the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT allows healthcare professionals to monitor patients remotely. They improve patient engagement, prevent readmissions, reduce healthcare costs, and improve patient outcomes (Kelly et al., 2020). Patients can have a wearable device to monitor their blood pressure readings. This can help physicians to monitor patients constantly and implement strategies that will help manage hypertension effectively.  The significant advantages of using IoT in hypertension management are reduced costs, improved treatment, faster diagnosis, proactive treatment, and error reduction (Kelly et al., 2020).

The adoption of healthcare technologies is still poor. This can be linked to poor implementation, lack of support by management, and financial constraints (Zayyad & Toycan, 2018). The adoption of technology in the management of hypertension is beneficial to the patient and the healthcare delivery industry. These technologies help to build strong therapeutic relationships between patients and providers due to constant information. They also empower these patients and promote self-management, which leads to positive healthcare outcomes (Kelly et al., 2020). These technologies also promote patient-centered care, which improves hypertension management. Through telemedicine, providers and patients can communicate remotely, which promotes good patient monitoring and education. Some of the challenges to integrating e-health into healthcare include a lack of proper infrastructure, financial implications of installing and training healthcare professionals, and legal and privacy issues (Zayyad & Toycan, 2018). These barriers can hinder the use of technology in hypertension management.