A Computer-Based Shared-Care Scheme for Hypertension in Glasgow: Feasibility and Acceptability

Abstract

In recent years, information technology has made possible new methods of health care which, without access to easy information collection, processing and printing, were previously difficult or impossible. One example is “shared-care” — a method of coordinating the care of individuals who have a condition requiring long-term follow-up, for The long term management of patients with a chronic condition like hypertension presents a number of problems for the health services. First, while life-long monitoring of all known hypertensives is desirable, the numbers involved are considerable. Second, for various reasons, a large proportion of patients are lost from regular follow-up. Third, in many chronic conditions although care should be provided jointly by both specialists and general practitioners; the need for monitoring has often resulted in many well-controlled patients being retained in the clinic for regular review while others in real need of specialist care must wait to be seen. Furthermore, a lack of co-ordination in the care provided by specialists and general practitioners for a “shared” patient can result in too many or too few investigations being carried out.

Acknowledgement: This project was supported by the Scottish Home and Health Department and the British Heart Foundation.