We teamed up with the American Medical Group Association to conduct a landmark Connected Home Blood Pressure Monitoring trial. The results are striking — the project demonstrates the positive impact of technology as a tool to aid home blood pressure monitoring — as well as some unexpected insights about how it can reinforce the doctor-patient relationship.
At Withings we strongly believe that the next healthcare revolution will come from patients who are empowered with connected devices that enable them take control of their health.
To help fight hypertension, we teamed up with the American Medical Group Association (AMGA). In 18 months, the project aimed to analyze how self-measurement helps patients lower their blood pressure. Each patient, across 4 AMGA medical groups, was provided with a Withings Blood Pressure Monitor to take their blood pressure readings at home and send to their doctor regularly to monitor their pre-hypertension or hypertension condition. Here are the results:
Connected home monitoring helps manage hypertension
Over the 18 months of the project, patients’ blood pressure control rates went from 38.6% to 70.0%. In other words, roughly 60% of patients were considered to have blood pressure out of control before the project, as compared with 30% of patients at the conclusion of the project.
Healthcare providers were the first to recognize the positive impact of home blood pressure monitoring on their patients health. Most providers responded, “[they] saw positive effects on [their] patient’s blood pressure as a result of using this device.”
Check out our range of blood pressure monitors >
mHealth improves the doctor-patient relationship
Connected blood pressure monitors help patients create a more meaningful dialogue with their physicians thanks to easy and intuitive tools built into the app.
Advantage #1
With the ability to easily create and share a blood pressure history, doctors gain a more complete view of your health than a one-time measurement can provide.
Advantage #2
Education for the patient: Mobile apps are great at nudging patients towards measurement best practices, making home monitoring more reliable. Plus, apps let the user schedule reminders to help set a health routine and increase compliance.
In the AMGA project, healthcare providers found that connectivity increased patient engagement. Doctors stated “the device improved patient’s motivation to try to control their blood pressure”. One medical group stated that the results carried over beyond blood pressure monitoring. It was observed that the experience improved patient compliance, not only for blood pressure, but for other health conditions as well. Another group stated that this project helped improve the overall doctor-patient relationship because the patient felt “special” that they had extra care.
Connected health comes with powerful tools to help you take control
Every doctor will tell you that managing high blood pressure usually requires strong patient commitment and meaningful lifestyle changes. That’s where digital coaching comes in.
The Health Mate app helps you lose weight and lower blood pressure
Based on our own community, we demonstrated how digital coaching can help lower blood pressure through significant lifestyle changes. The main leverage is weight related: we revealed that a decrease in BMI of 1.0 kg/m2 over a month was associated with a drop in systolic blood pressure of 1.79 mmHg for men and 1.81 mmHg for women.
To learn more about this study, see: Weight Loss Lowers Blood Pressure >
Activity tracking: modest increases in activity can lower blood pressure
We also demonstrated that users who increased their monthly steps by 30,000 – about 1,000 each day – experienced a drop in their systolic blood pressure: 0.13 mmHg for men and 0.21 mmHg for women.
To read more about this study, see: Walking 1,000 Extra Steps A Day Can Lower Blood Pressure >
“Withings saved my life.” — Penn Jillette
The world-famous magician lost over 100lbs, got his blood pressure under control and says Withings was key to getting healthy.
On Halloween of 2014, and while on six blood pressure medications, Penn Jillette found himself in the hospital because of dangerously high blood pressure. This was his wake-up call — he knew he had to make a change.
Penn says the Withings blood pressure cuff was an essential part of his care, saying, “For my doctor to get the information that he needed to make wise choices on my meds — he needed to know my blood pressure everyday.” As of today, Penn says he is off most of the blood pressure medications and says he aims to be free of them in 2016.
Penn Jillette: “Withings saved my life” video on YouTube.
Read all of Penn Jillette’s blog posts.
Ready To Follow Your Heart? Start Today.
Many people are unaware that they suffer from high blood pressure, and many more might know they should take action, but don’t have support outside of the doctor’s office. We can help you get the support you need with a smart device that is proven to help you control your blood pressure.
So, if you are ready to take heart health seriously, get your hands on one of our easy-to-use medically accurate Withings Blood Pressure Monitors.
