Like having a good “2-foot putt” in golf, getting accurate blood pressure readings is a small but fundamental task for healthcare providers to improve patient outcomes and maintain long-term profitability. In recognition of May as National High Blood Pressure Month, Repertoire Publisher Scott Adams and Dr. Tom Schwieterman, chief medical officer and VP of clinical affairs for Midmark, discuss the growing importance of blood pressure testing and why it is critical for providers to get accurate blood pressure measurements.
Blood pressure measurements can identify patients who are the most “at-risk” and who will cost the health system the most in the long run if their problems are not addressed. Measuring blood pressure is the single metric that is involved in more MIPPS and MACRA incentive compensation packages than any other measurement. Not to mention that by lowering your burden of chronic disease costs (for strokes, heart attacks, blindness, kidney disease, etc.), which are all problems that can develop from high blood pressure, you win on the bottom line thanks to decreasing your costs downstream.
In this podcast, Scott and Dr.Tom discuss:
- Reasons behind the recent emphasis on (and increase in) blood pressure testing
- Why blood pressure is the benchmark for cardiovascular health, as well as many other chronic diseases
- The financial impact that untreated patients with elevated blood pressure can have on the health system
- Why blood pressure assessment accuracy is such a concern (and a challenge)
- The negative impacts an incorrect reading can have for a patient
- How measuring blood pressure can impact quality metric scores used by the various Value-Based Care Payment Models (such as MIPPS and MACRA)
- Why properly following the steps to obtain accurate blood pressure measurements at the point of care is crucially important for providers to get right (Hint: It improves both patient outcomes and the provider’s bottom line)
- Data management – the need for accuracy, efficiency, and scalability in patient medical records
- Ways Distribution reps can help communicate the importance of accurate BP measurements and how it impacts the healthcare costs for providers