Blood Pressure Control in a Hypertension Telemedicine Intervention: Does Distance to Primary Care Matter?

摘要: Although telemedicine may help overcome geographic access barriers, it is unknown whether rural patients receive greater benefits. In a secondary analysis of 503 veterans participating in hypertension study, the authors hypothesized that with travel distances would have improvements 18-month systolic blood pressure (SBP). Patients were categorized by exposure and distance to primary care, derived from zip codes. Comparisons (1) usual care (UC), <30 miles (reference); (2) UC, ≥30 miles; (3) telemedicine, (4) miles. Compared receiving (intercept=127.7), no difference SBP was observed (0.13 mm Hg, 95% confidence interval [-6.6 6.8]); (-1.1 Hg [-7.3 5.2]); (-0.80 5.1]). additional studies are needed identify most likely benefit.