Partnering with Patients to Reduce Hypertension Using Epic

Ochsner Health System provides care to residents in Louisiana and Mississippi, states with some of the highest rates of hypertension in the country. An Ochsner initiative gives patients with hypertension and their providers the ability to use digital tools in Epic to monitor health and daily habits from home, resulting in 53% more patients who were able to get their blood pressure under control.

Patients who are referred to Ochsner’s digital hypertension program by their PCPs use MyChart to indicate any factors contributing to high blood pressure, such as sleep apnea, high sodium intake, or infrequent exercise. They can head to Ochsner’s O Bar to learn how to start sending blood pressure readings from an app to the patient’s Epic chart at least once a week. A monthly report on each patient’s progress controlling their blood pressure is sent to the care team and to the patient through MyChart, so they can collaborate on next steps.

Meanwhile, providers focus on reducing barriers that can affect patients’ treatment, such as by switching patients to more affordable blood pressure medications to encourage regular refills.

With the program, Ochsner is able to improve patients’ experience with guided care and fewer office visits, while supporting patients’ daily healthy routines to improve outcomes.

Ochsner Health System received a HIMSS Davies Award for successes including their digital medicine program.