In February, Ontario Health released a new quality standard that outlines what high-quality care looks like for people with hypertension and their family and care partners. Hypertension is the most common modifiable risk factor for death or disability, and two-thirds of people in Ontario aged 65 years and older had a diagnosis of hypertension in 2021.
Patient outcomes for hypertension can be improved substantially with effective management. Between 2017 and 2022, the number of emergency department visits with a diagnosis of hypertension rose by 19%, highlighting the need for high-quality hypertension management in primary care and home and community care settings.
The Hypertension quality standard focuses on care for adults aged 18 years and older who have been diagnosed with hypertension or who are at risk of developing hypertension. To create this quality standard, Ontario Health assembled an advisory committee consisting of clinicians and people with lived experience.
Drawing from clinical practice guidelines and Ontario data, this quality standard describes seven key opportunities to improve care for people with hypertension. The topic areas are: culturally responsive care; accurate measurement of blood pressure; out-of-office assessment to confirm a diagnosis; health behaviour changes; care planning and self-management; monitoring and follow-up after a confirmed diagnosis; and improving adherence to medications.
Accompanying the Hypertension quality standard are a patient guide with helpful tools and resources for self-management; a 2-page placemat for clinicians to use at the point of care; technical specifications for indicators to support implementation; and a case for improvement slide deck.
Please share the Hypertension quality standard with your networks. To learn more, please register for a webinar on March 28, 2024, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. ET. For more information, please contact [email protected].